


To Love Needs One but toMake Love Takes Two (or the one where a dwarf and a hobbit are stupid)

by Marriott23



Series: To love takes one but to make love takes two [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alliance with elves, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Assassination Attempt(s), Beads (apparently dwarves use them in everything), Bilbo knows more than he lets on, Dwarf Courting, Hobbit Courting, Hobbit healing, Honour Amongst Thieves, Idiots, Idiots in Love, In love but denying it, M/M, Murder, Post BoFA, Rimming, Thief hierarchy, Thorin's alive, Wedding Night, bodyguards, courting, dwarven wedding, guard dwalin, nori's training bilbo, smut (sort of) probably more later, spymaster nori
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-23
Updated: 2014-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-27 11:25:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 35,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/978289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marriott23/pseuds/Marriott23
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thorin and Bilbo are in love with each other but both are reluctant to make a move.<br/>This results in scheming, lies and inevertably misunderstandings. Problems always occur when you mix two cultures. </p><p>(The one where two idiots fall in love but don't do anything about it at all.)</p><p>Meanwhile Nori and Dwalin struggle through their own issues and the bond between them that they were not both aware of before all the while protecting Thorin from assassins. Despite his newfound bond with Dwalin the thief still doesn't quite open up about his past to him or the entire company</p><p> </p><p>Post battle of the five armies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - Wounded  
The dwarves walked across the battlefield searching for their dead. All around them lay the littered bodies of orcs and goblins; wargs and men; elves and dwarves. The aftermath of the battle almost worse than the actual thing where shrikes of pain had blended together with battle cries and injured comrades had been trampled or hacked to death.  
A cry went up from the top of the mountain where the worse fighting had taken place and the dwarves began to head in that direction. It was the voice of their king who had yet to make his way down the mountain. The sight that befell them had Fili and Kili falling to their knees and Dwalin forcing all but the company to continue to search for the wounded.  
In Thorin's arms lay a wounded hobbit his eyes filled with pain. The king had his hands clamped tightly over the wound to help stop the blood flow and unashamed tears ran down his face. "Help him," Thorin said desperately to Oin when he came jogging up the mountain, fetched by Ori, his medicines in his hand.  
The dwarf went to work with the hobbit still in his kings hands, swiftly sowing the hobbit's wounds closed. The company watched on in horror as their many time savoir and friend was bleeding so much blood it was a wonder he was still conscious. It seemed an age before Oin was finally satisfied with the stitches and began to bind the hobbit's wound in bandages. "He needs to rest in the healing tents, your majesty. I will send for someone to carry him."  
"No," Thorin said wearily shaking his head, "I will carry him. The others will be needed to collect the rest of the wounded." With that he pulled Bilbo closer into his chest and stood on shaky feet and took a few steps towards the quickly erected tents. Then he paused, "Balin come with me and the rest of you there are more injured to deal with."  
Bilbo was laying on the cot in the healing tent now in a deep sleep from a draught one of the healers had given him. Thorin looked down at him fondly as Baln spoke in a low chuckle from his side, "You care greatly for the hobbit don't you?"  
"What makes you say that?" Thorin said his head snapping around to look at Balin but as soon as his eyes turned back to the hobbit they softened again.  
Balin didn't reply for a moment as if he was wondering how far the king would allow him to push. "You didn't even glance at your sister-sons to see if they were wounded. Tell me Thorin do you have affections for the hobbit?"  
"He saved my life, Balin. That sword he took was heading for my heart and he appeared out of thin air in front of me." Thorin replied carefully avoiding the question he was asked and when after he received no reply he glanced up at Balin he saw the dwarf regarding him thoughtfully he sighed. "I... It doesn't matter he will not have me now, I cast him aside for a jewel, he hates me."  
To Thorin's annoyance his friend chuckled again at his plight. "Thorin you just told me how he took a sword for you. That does not sound like the action of one who hates you and I would suggest a conversation with Bilbo." The dwarf looked fondly upon the hobbit, "there is more to him than you know but I believe he knows himself now."  
Thorin opened his mouth to reply but could think of no reply to his friends logic so closed it again. "Stay with him for me. I wish to be informed of any change in his condition."  
"Go and be king, laddie. I can manage here." Balin said shooing his king from the tent with an exasperated expression. If Thorin would not listen he would have to wait until Mr Baggins awoke and talk with him. It was about time those two did more than exchange wishful glances.


	2. Chapter 2

** Chapter 2 - awake **

Bilbo woke with a groan before the pain flared through his system and he let loose a hiss. His hand moved to grab his bandaged side in answer to the pain but he was stopped by a hand around his wrist. Bilbo blinked through the pain-tears in his eyes to focus on Balin's face.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, laddie. We thought we'd lost you for a while there."

"So did it but it will take more than an orc blade to finish me off." Bilbo said and his voice broke slightly as he spoke. Balin stood and reappeared moments later with a bowl of broth which he placed on the floor as he helped Bilbo to sit up.

Picking up the bowl he offered it to Bilbo with a smile, "You need to eat it. You've had a fever for three days and we haven't been able to wake you to get solids in you. It was only because we poured liquid down your throat at every possible moment that your alive." Bilbo gave he a look that stopped the rest of his words for it so clearly said that Bilbo remembered those times he had woken.

 _///_ \---///---///His body was agony as his eyes flickered open to see two dwarves at his bedside. As soon as his eyes flickered open one of the dwarves ran off leaving only Balin who urged Bilbo to fight the pain and stay awake. Then the other dwarf returned and Balin was muttering a string of apologises as he forced Bilbo to drink the life sustaining liquid. He had only just swallowed the last drop when the pain pulled him under again. _///---///---///_

Bilbo ate the broth slowly giving Balin a furious look and the dwarf struggled not to back out of the tent in retreat. The look was similar to the one Thorin had been on the receiving end of several times that had forced even the stubborn king to change his mind and now Balin understood why. There was a menace behind the look that said you did not want to push the hobbit any further. Of course Thorin had pushed back the first time and it had not been a pleasant experience for any of those present. If Thorin had thought an angry hobbit was bad a furious one had been ten times worse.

"It was the only way to sustain you," Balin said after Bilbo had finished, "you would have died otherwise."

Bilbo set his bowl aside with a sigh his temper calming slowly. "I did not need it. There is a reason we hobbits are so carefree and that is to do with how we handle illnesses differently to most. The sustenance you gave me made it harder to fight off the fever if I had not had it I would have been better far quicker." Bilbo carefully avoided the Balin's yes for he knew he would not be able to understand the look of guilt there.

"The more you gave me the harder it became to fight and towards the end I had to start giving in to the fever before you could give me that liquid." Balin winced in regret. They had made it worse while they believed they were helping the hobbit and towards the end when they thought they would lose him, that had been Bilbo recovering. He thought of how he had begged Bilbo to fight and how Thorin had begged and the rest of the company. They thought they had gone unheard but Bilbo had been fighting not only the fever but their help as well.

"I am truly sorry, Bilbo. If I had but known I would never have done so." Balin said and tears streamed down his face in his sorrow.

"What didn't you know?" A voice said from the tent opening and Balin turned to see his king standing there. Gone was the gold he had worn before the battle of the five armies and in its place he wore the clothes he had travelled in on the quest. In every way he looked more majestic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All comments welcome. I would apreciate any that you give.
> 
> Just so you know I'm using ///---///---/// to show a jump into to past. 
> 
> And thank you for reading this so far. I hope to update soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Lies Begin Somewhere  
"Just something Bilbo was telling me," Balin replied his tone begging the hobbit not to tell Thorin just yet about the misunderstanding. The hobbit gave the tiniest of nods and the dwarf continued as soon as he caught sight of it, "it is unimportant."  
   
Thorin didn't hear the rest of his words though because he was already moving to kneel by the hobbit's side. "Bilbo, you're awake."  
   
The hobbit gave a slightly strained laugh and he placed a hand on Thorin's shoulder. "I am fine, my king. The wound is healed and only the after effects of the pain linger."  
   
"Healed?" Thorin wondered alive. Only three days ago the hobbit had been bleeding to death in his arms from a wound that looked fatal.  
   
"Us hobbits heal differently. With that and your dwarvern healing I am healed in three days. Do not worry I shall spend a few days in bed if that will calm your mind." Bilbo said with a laugh as he gave Thorin's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. The dwarf king scowled at his light tone but allowed the hobbit this little victory.  
   
"It appears I owe you not only my thanks but my life, master hobbit." Thorin said and the unmasked affection in his tone cause the tents other occupants to start. The king bowed his head in shame and half whispered, "and my apologises. I understand Bilbo if you wish to leave but I hereby revoke you banishment so you can stay if you wish."  
   
Bilbo seemed incapable of speech for a moment. Eventually he reached out a hand to cup Thorin's face so he could look into the dwarf's eyes. The dwarf looked up hesitantly feeling the hobbit's hand shaking against his face. "There is nothing to forgive, my king. I understand the gold-madness and I know how deep my actions cut. You were within your rights to banish me."  
   
Thorin and Balin both opened their mouths to argue but Bilbo cut across them sharply, "No, listen to me."  
   
Bilbo composed his thoughts in his head and then began to speak again. "You were within your rights to banish me Thorin for I stole and heirloom of your house and collaborated with your enemies. Shards, you where within your rights to kill me. Yet it should never have been necessary for me to steal the Arkenstone in the first place."  
   
Bilbo pause for a breath but then he looked up to meet Thorin's eyes his confidence restored by the continued silence. "So here is my offer Thorin Oakenshield, I will stay in Erebor only if you give the Arkenstone to the elves in payment for their help. Do not think of it as giving away your treasure but rather entrusting it to others so the gold-madness cannot pull you under again."  
   
Thorin sat in silence staring at Bilbo in shock. The hobbit's words rang true with something deep inside him and the challenge of the hobbit's tone stirred his pride. The hobbit doubted he could give away the Arkenstone as payment he thought that he needed an excuse. Very well Thorin would show the halfling. "Then when you are able to stand we will present the elves with the Arkenstone."  
   
"Tomorrow then," Bilbo answered instantly.  
   
"Tomorrow," Thorin sounded dubious, "will you be able to walk?"  
   
"Thorin if I so wished I could walk now. Have faith that I am healed." Bilbo said with an exasperated sigh.  
   
"Forgive me if I wish to see my savoir fully healed." Thorin said grumpily.  
   
"Relax. Go and lead your people I will be here until tomorrow." Bilbo replied and the king left the tent muttering about stubborn halflings.  
   
Bilbo looked up at Balin his eyes shining with silent laughter at the king's reaction to his instance. "That was nicely handled, Mr Baggins. I believe you just managed to get Thorin to do exactly as you wanted him to without a struggle for we both know this is the start of an alliance."  
   
"I will have to practise acting surprised before tomorrow. Do you believe a gasp would be appropriate or maybe tears of joy." Bilbo said a look of serious contemplation suddenly on his face.  
   
"You Bilbo Baggins are a dangerous hobbit." Balin said smiling before he bowed. "I must however be elsewhere so I leave you to your thoughts." He smiled at the hobbit before he slipped from the tent.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Axes and Knives  
Balin went to find his brother for it was about time that Dwalin knew that Bilbo could control the king in even his most stubborn actions.  
   
The two brothers greeted each other with a headbut. Dwalin had been running through some forms with his axes and he slid them into his weapon harness as his brother began to speak. "It seems our burglar has succeeded where I have failed and without any prompting as well."  
   
"Thorin will speak to the elves." Dwalin said gruffly trying to think of a time when the king had even considered being civil to the elves.  
   
"Better he will give them the Arkenstone to help prevent himself from succumbing to the gold-madness again."  
   
"Impressive..." Dwalin commented but he trailed off as he spotted Nori a little way away. In the thief's hands was his whetstone which he was sure had been in his pocket. His hand went to his pocket and sure enough the whetstone was missing. "Excuse me brother," Dwalin said distractedly his eyes fixed on Nori. The warrior took off at a run with a bellow of, "Come here thief."  
   
Balin sighed and shook his head in wonder. It seemed he was surrounded by idiots in love on all sides and all of them seemed to insist on ignoring and denying their feelings. He watched in amusement as his brother sprinted after the thief who always danced just out of reach.  
   
Thorin looked up at the mountain and was surprised to see two figures standing about twenty feet apart waiting. His curiosity took him close enough to realise it was Dwalin and Nori. The latter was tossing up a whetstone and catching it while Dwalin watched in what seemed to be anger and horror.  
   
The king suddenly realised two things at once. One, Nori had lost his whetstone so he must have stolen Dwalin's and two the dwarf was standing on the bad rock. "Don't move Nori." Thorin called trying to search for a safe passage to the dwarf with his stone sense.  The dwarf only laughed and began to dance over the bad rock.  
   
"He sees possibilities where the rest of us don't." Dwalin said with a growl, "It's why he was an uncatchable thief because no one could follow him." Thorin's eyes were drawn to the reckless dwarf again when he laughed and then jumped off the cliff. Nori landed and jogged away turning to bow mockingly in Dwalin's direction.  
   
"I was under the impression he had given up being a thief," Thorin commented.  
   
"He has with the exception of anything belonging to me." Dwalin answered and the ex-guard seemed very weary in that moment. Through many of the years of exile he had chased a notorious thief so often it had become a personal battle. When that same notorious thief had come before Thorin to swear his allegiance and volunteer for the quest he hadn't even twitched as his true nature was announced. The king had immediately thrown the thief in the dungeons and that was the only time he was ever caught and it could hardly then be called capture for the thief could have escaped at any moment. So when poised with Thorin's words it was no surprise that Dwalin said more than he should have done. "I'm not surprised thievery has been personal between us for a while no doubt he does it just to annoy me."  
   
Thorin turned his curious gaze onto his friend, "he swore to me he would not steal. He gave his oath that he would never take anything without the owner knowing he has it."  
   
"He hasn't broken that oath then for I always know when he's taken something." Dwalin said but the king was still frowning. "Fight a battle you can win, Thorin. Or if you must fight with him let it be about the bad rock." Dwalin bowed and made his way off no doubt to find or purchase a new whetstone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're enjoying it. All comments are welcome


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Even Elves can be Surprised  
Thorin stood proudly as he waited for the king of the Mirkwood elves. He had changed into a shirt of Durin blue but his fur cloak still hung from his shoulders and Orcrist hung at his hip. Once again he wore no gold or jewels as any other dwarf of his station would. Instead he wore plain silver hair clasps and a plain circlet of silver. Thorin had argued against the circlet but once again he had been forced to concede to the hobbit. Bilbo had told him to wear it to prove he wasn't a poor king but one who would not flaunt his wealth.  
   
Next to the king stood Bilbo Baggins himself. The hobbit stood calmly beside the king who had threatened his life and lent his support to the leader he valued above all else. He waited at the side of the king for who he had gambled and lost everything only to have it offered back. Now he would watch as Thorin rose higher into legend.  
   
Behind the king and the halfling stood the heirs of the line of Durin. The swordsman and the archer; the protector and the reckless; the two brothers who supported one another to the end. The children who had just reached their majority and yet still followed their uncle on a suicide mission to reclaim a homeland they didn't even remember. Both wore circlets upon their heads of sliver but unlike Thorin's these had jewels encrusted in them once again due to Mr Baggins. For people would need to see that they were of the Durin line and that the treasure still existed.  
   
Thranduil came towards the party with his son at his back. The elves were still dressed in armour and Thorin saw surprise cross their faces at the lack of armour on any of the dwarves present. "Hail! King Thranduil and Prince Legolas of Mirkwood," Thorin called out as the elves stopped before him.  
   
"Hail! Thorin Oakenshield, King under the mountain," Thranduil replied his eyes darting to Bilbo in shock. The hobbit who had stolen the Arkenstone stood at the king's side in a completely relaxed stance. "Hail barrel rider. The one who slays spiders and walks unseen. Hail peace bringer and gambler. The one who abandons all for those he doesn't even know." Thranduil completed the gesture with a bow that caused murmurs among those gathered.  
   
"Hail, he who listens. The one who gives oaths to oath breakers," Bilbo replied calmly with a bow of his own.  
   
The elvish king smiled and turned his attention back to Thorin, "What can I do for you, King under the mountain?"  
   
Thorin waited a moment to ensure silence reigned before he began to speak and the hobbit at his side filled with pride at the words. "Too long have our kinds fought and mistrusted one another. I would call an end to this feud today for the mountain is reclaimed and my people have their home back. Once an alliance existed between our people I hope it can again." He gestured to Balin and Dwalin who each brought a chest of gold forward and placed it at their king's feet. "I give you a gift in the hope you will accept this alliance."  
   
"The elves of Mirkwood would welcome the return of the old alliance. We will accept it and your gift Thorin Oakenshield," Thranduil said bowing his head ever so slightly and two elves stepped forward to pick up the chests.  
   
"I have something else to give to you." Thorin said reaching under his cloak to grasp something, "My line has long been cursed by the gold-sickness and all I wish is that we are no longer so cursed. It is with this in mind that I gift to you the Arkenstone." With his last words the king pulled the stone out and offered it to the elf.  
   
Thranduil's eyes filled with surprise as he reached out for the stone with shaking hands. "You honour my people and I with such a gift. We will stand by your people for as long as we hold the Arkenstone and then forever after."  
   
"Thank you," Thorin replied and he bowed deeply to the king of Mirkwood. "I look forward to many years of peace between us."  
   
"As do I," Thranduil replied and he bowed before he turned and left the elves following in his wake.


	6. Chapter 6

 Chapter 6 - The Shire or Erebor 

Bilbo stood alone on the mountainside gazing out towards the west as the day ended, towards the shire. He felt he belonged here now after risking everything for Erebor and its king. How he could ever return to his quiet life with only maps and books for company was beyond him. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice someone appear at his side.  
   
"You're missing your home," Dwalin said moving to sit on the ground at the Bilbo's feet and after a moment the hobbit joined him.  
   
"I think that maybe I am home." Bilbo replied and he glanced at the usually emotionless dwarf to find a slight smile on his friend's face.  
   
"Good, Thorin needs someone to keep him in line now he has Erebor back. You seem to have a way with him." Dwalin said heaving himself to his feet with a smile at the hobbit. "Try not to spend too long up here." The hobbit watched his friend walk away with sad eyes before he turned back to the setting sun. His thoughts were full of the party tree and the green dragon that he was sure he would never see again.  
   
Night fell and still the hobbit looked out towards his homeland and even when wargs howled in the distance he didn't move. It was dawn before he had company again this time in the form of a king. Thorin draped his cloak around the hobbit causing him to look up in surprise at the sudden warmth and weight. Bilbo offered the king a tentative smile as he sat down next to him. "Dwalin told me you were up here yesterday and when I couldn't find you I came looking." Thorin looked him up and down, "did you sleep at all?"  
   
"I was thinking." Bilbo said eventually and the king remained silent waiting. "My kin remain in the Shire and everything I own. Yet I feel as if I belong here in Erebor with my friends and my king."  
   
Thorin smiled softly at those last words and he felt a sharp pang in his heart that this hobbit would call him king. "I cannot tell you what to do by if you stay your belongings can be sent for."  
   
"I'm not sure if I can return to that life. I wish to stay here if you'll allow me." Bilbo said and the tentative question cut the king deeply. The hobbit still didn't believe he wanted him around after that business with at the gate.  
   
"I would be honoured if you stayed in Erebor. Stay as long as you wish to Bilbo," Thorin said and the words 'I hope it's forever' died in his throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it's so short. The conversation didn't seem to be heading anywhere so I decided to leave it.
> 
> Comments welcome


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry its another short chapter. They will get longer again soon I promise.

Chapter 7 - Offers and Mistrust  
   
The news that the hobbit was saying soon spread throughout the camp of dwarves, elves and men and Bilbo found himself faced with an unexpected visit.  
   
The hobbit was relaxing after a hard day helping the healers when King Thranduil walked into his tent. "I must say I am sorry to see you stay in Erebor, I had hoped you would stay with my people of a while."  
   
"As pleasurable as that sounds I have no wish to re-enter the Mirkwood." Bilbo replied with a bow.  
   
"You need not bow to me, master hobbit. You have risen to a standing among Kings with your deeds in the past few months." Thranduil cast his eyes over the hobbit one last time before he turned to leave, "the offer will remain open to you and you descendents," he said and walked out of the tent .  
   
Bilbo didn't get much peace before Thorin entered the tent a frown on his face. "Was that Thranduil I saw leave?" he asked and although his tone didn't hold the same loathing it used to it wasn't exactly friendly.  
   
"Relax, he was only telling me I was welcome at his palace at any time," Bilbo replied calmly and he met Thorin's eyes. "Do not worry that I am being won over by the elves. I am your hobbit my king and my allegiance lies with you."  
   
Despite the hobbit's reassuring words the king's eyes still shone with mistrust. He could not believe that the elvish king was up to nothing nor did he believe that was all that was said. For now though he would have to accept Bilbo's word on the matter. Besides the hobbit wouldn't have stayed if he really didn't believe in the king Thorin would be, would he? A quiet voice at the back of his mind whispered that the hobbit may be gathering information of the elvish king or even being used to influence his decisions. He would have to be wary around the hobbit from now on. Thorin shook his head in annoyance, he had no reason to distrust Bilbo Baggins and for some reason he knew deep in himself that he would trust the hobbit to the end of his days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All comments welcome


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The drama of courting begins or at least is discussed. The first problems of two different cultures.

Chapter 8 -  Courting Rituals  
   
Balin walked into the tent his mind running through the reasons his king would have summoned him. He was surprised to find Thorin relaxing in his chair with a goblet of wine in his hand. The king looked up at his entrance and gestured him to the other chair and offered him a goblet full of wine. Balin took it with a raised eyebrow and seated himself in the chair and waited while Thorin lit his pipe. Honestly this was a strange meeting, he hadn't seen the king this relaxed in days.  
   
"I need your word that you will not speak of what I am about to say." Thorin said eventually and the sudden seriousness in his eyes caught Balin's attention.  
   
"You have my word as always, my king." Balin said bowing his head slightly. His king had not asked for his word in many years instead trusting to his loyalty.  
   
"I'm afraid that I am in need of advice. Balin I wish to court the hobbit but he knows nothing of dwarvish courting. Tell me how do hobbits court." Thorin said his words coming halting from his mouth as if he was unsure if he really wanted to say them.  
   
Balin froze he hadn't expected Thorin to be so open in his feeling but once glance at the king told him how hard it had been for him to admit even this. "I know very little but Bilbo did mention a thing or two about it. Hobbit's give each other flowers and they supposedly have special meanings so pick them carefully. They also do things such as cooking to show how they can provide a comfortable life." Balin paused casting back in his memory, "Bilbo said his father built his mother Bagend as a courting gift so I would guess they also make each other gifts."  
   
Thorin watched as Balin took a sip of his wine waiting to see if the dwarf would say more but no more words were forthcoming. He sighed, "thank you, Balin. I shall learn this language of the flowers. If you find out anymore please tell me."  
   
"Of course, laddie," Balin said with a smile. They stayed together late into the evening talking about the rebuilding of Erebor that would soon begin.  
   
   
   
The next day Balin was walking through the tents when a small figure grabbed him and dragged him away into a tent. "Bilbo," he said in shock.  
   
"Balin, I need your help. What are the dwarvish courting rituals?" He asked urgently his eyes fixed on the tent opening.  
   
"Is this for a certain dwarven king?" Balin replied silently cursing that Thorin had not just asked the hobbit to accept his courting. He caught sight of the hobbit's blush and smiled softly, "well what would you do if it was another hobbit?"  
   
"I'd give them flowers and cook them meals and make them gifts. I'd share my deepest secrets as a sign of trust and I'd give them command over me in an act of faith." Bilbo frowned, "but it is not the same for dwarves."  
   
"No," Balin replied resigned to giving more courting advice. "First we give each other a courting bead that shows how our story began. We show our strength for each other and braid each other hair as a sign of love for only kin and those close to us and braid our hair. We fight with naked blades to prove out trust and complete tasks set by the other. Then to complete the courting we give the other a bead to show our journey together."  
   
"So these beads are like the flowers for hobbits. Give to show what we first thought of the other and given to show how we see them now." Bilbo replied thoughtfully looking at Balin for confirmation.  
   
"I suppose so. But couldn't that be insulting if you didn't like them at first?" Balin replied with a frown.  
   
"You can also add flowers that show hidden characteristics at the start. Things you didn't notice." Bilbo said his mind lost in thought about how to create a bead for Thorin, "Thank you for your help Balin."  
   
"Not at all, laddie. It's the least I can do." He turned to leave but the hobbit called after him.  
   
"Don't mention any of this to Thorin, please."  
   
"I shall not tell him of your intentions," Balin said with an inward sigh. Twice bound to keep secrets that he could not tell. The hobbit nodded and the dwarf left to tell his king what he had learnt about hobbit courting.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To court anyone you have to take the leap of faith and prepare that first gift.

Chapter 9 - Leap of Faith  
   
Bilbo thought of the beads that adorned Thorin's head and was grateful for the first time in his life that his father had taught him to carve. He might not be able to make a metal bead but he could carve one from wood to give to his king.  
   
He set off for the market of Dale and arrived back not an hour later with a solid block of oak, new carving tools and a dye that would turn it a deep green colour. He walked through the tents for a while before he slipped away around the mountain and began to climb. Eventually he stopped hidden amongst some fallen rocks.  
   
Very slowly he began to chip away at the block of wood until a sphere of wood sat in his hand and then he changed tool. With a deep breath he began to create a hole through the centre until it was a plain bead that sat in his palm.  
   
He gazed at it for a long time before he could even bring himself to carve the pattern onto it. With a steadying breath he began to chip away at the wood again. Eventually he smiled at the finished bead in his hand and his affection for Thorin grew greater if the king could unknowingly inspire this what could he knowingly inspire him to do.  
   
It was hours later that he returned to the city of tents with the finished bead in his pocket now the same green as his door in hobbiton. He unconsciously checked it was still in his pocket before he went in search of his friends. Finding Dwalin he found his request for more lessons with his sword was agreed to and they set off for a lesson on the training fields.  
   
   
Meanwhile Thorin was sitting in his tent with a book before him. The complexity of the flower language stunned him and he had a feeling that hobbits would learn it by heart. Pulling a piece of parchment towards him he began to make a list of the flowers that described Bilbo when they met.  
   
Finally he sat with a finished list before him and he sighed as he realised he had no idea what any of his five chosen flowers stood for. Resigned to asking for more help he cast his mind around for a dwarf who could collect the flowers unobserved. He called for a messenger to send to Nori but the dwarf had hardly left when Nori stepped from the shadows of his tent.  
   
"Why do you want me?" He asked from behind the king and Thorin only just managed not to jump.  
   
"What are you doing in here?" He asked sharply his eyes darting to check nothing was stolen.  
   
"Protecting you from that you cannot see. Before you protest or ask me who told me to do this I will tell you two things. One you need the protection for you did not notice me and two the list is so long that I don't even remember them all." Nori took  a few steps forward and knelt before Thorin as he had only once before, "Allow me my king to protect you. Every skill I have is at your disposal and all I ask is the honour of protecting you."  
   
Thorin gestured for the dwarf to get up, "You're wish is granted. I have long debated who to make my spymaster or it must be someone I can trust but also knows the underworld. I can think of none better than you."  
   
"You honour me." Nori replied with a bow and the honest thief turned spymaster had a smile on his face as he asked, "why did you want me?"  
   
"I know it is a waste of your skills but I need these collected quietly." Thorin said passing him the list warily.  
   
"For the hobbit," Nori said as he eyes scanned the list curiously. "A good choice," he looked at Thorin as if debating whether to tell him something. "Do not worry about him rejecting you for at this moment he carves a courting bead." With a smirk at the kings expression and a final bow he slipped out of the tent on silent feet.  
   
Thorin starred after him wondering how he had found out such information. Then he wondered how the hobbit knew to carve a bead and then he realised he didn't even know the hobbit could carve at all.  
   
Not an hour later Nori returned and gave the flowers to Thorin without a word before he slipped back into the shadows. The king nodded his thanks and began to plan how to give the hobbit the flowers.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even once you have the gift to give the one you love. You still need the courage to give it to them

Chapter 10 - First Gifts  
   
With Thorin planning to surprise the hobbit with the flowers and Bilbo trying to summon enough courage to give the dwarf the courting bead they managed to miss each other for two solid days. Then Nori intervened once again and they both would curse him and thank him for some time.  
   
"Bilbo," Nori said stepping into his tent. The restoration of Erebor had started but they still hadn't reached any of the rooms that the company would soon inhabit. For Thorin insisted that the company be housed in the rooms on the same floor as the royal wing. The only rooms that had been restored had been given to the workers so they were close to their work. "I was wondering if you would meet me down by the lake this evening. I would love to teach you how to throw a dagger." There was nothing strange about this request because the dwarf had been passing his skills onto the hobbit for some time.  
   
"Of course, Nori. I will meet you there." Bilbo replied with a smile at the dwarf.  
   
Later that day Thorin had some time alone or at least as alone as he could be with Nori protecting him. He did not doubt that the dwarf was always shadowing him or having someone shadow him at all time. "Your majesty," Nori said moving slightly into view, "the hobbit will be visiting the lake this evening. I would advise that flowers do not last long once they are picked."  
   
"My thanks," Thorin replied and the dwarf slipped away down the mountain. The king's eyes followed him and he let out a sigh. Tonight then would be when the hobbit received his flowers.  
   
That evening when Bilbo headed down to the lake he saw a familiar figure perched at top a rock. His steps faltered for a moment before he took a deep breath and continued forward. "Thorin," he breathed lightly and was surprised when the king turned with a smile.  
   
Bilbo didn't have chance to step any further forward before the dwarf was on his feet and approaching him. Thorin bowed low to the hobbit, "For a long time I have admired you Bilbo. Your courage, your skill, your unselfish heart. I would be honoured if you would allow me to court you." Thorin said and a look of pleasant surprise crossed the hobbits face.  
   
"Yes. Yes, Thorin." He said and his merriment filled Thorin with a joy of his own.  
   
"I understand it is a custom of your people to exchange flowers showing how you first perceived the other," Thorin said and with another bow he offered the hobbit a bouquet.  Suddenly he had a body pressed against his own as the hobbit hugged him in silent thanks.  
   
When Bilbo finally pulled away he gave a slightly sad smile. "I don't have any flowers to give you Thorin but although I cannot follow the customs of my race I can follow the customs of yours." Reaching into his pocket he almost whispered, "I understand it is custom to exchange a courting bead."  
   
Thorin took the offered bead in wonder as he examined it. The bead may be made of wood but the love that had gone into it was evident. The pattern showed the front door of Bagend standing in the shadow of Erebor and next to it stood the rune that Gandalf had drawn on the door. The final image showed a sword splitting a horse chestnut. Thorin couldn't help but smile at that final image and he reached out to pull the hobbit into another embrace. "It's wonderful," he murmured into Bilbo's ear.  
   
They left the lake happier than they had been in a long time and content in each other's company. They had decided to continue to court each other using the other's culture to see if they could compromise for the other even when their courting would be observed closely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All Comments Welcome. 
> 
> The next chapter will hopefully have some more Nori/Dwalin in it. The other members of the company should start to feature more as well


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has been so long since I updated but here you go

Chapter 11 - "You May Have a Harder Fight than you Thought"

Bilbo sat alone on the mountainside staring at the flowers Thorin had given him. There meanings a pleasant memory of what he had been and a hint at how the dwarven king had viewed him. He spoke their meanings out loud once more, "Innocence, weakness, hidden strength, hidden honour and kindness." He supposed that showed just how exactly he had appeared on that night to the dwarves. A little hobbit with too much kindness and not enough strength it was a saddening thought that he had appeared so helpless. 

A small laugh escaped his lips. He was no longer the same hobbit, Gandalf was right he had changed during the quest. He was no longer a sheltered hobbit willing to live out his days in the Shire he was Bilbo Baggins burglar of the company, he was the dragon speaker and barrel rider, he walked among elves dwarves and men. He was the friend of kings, the diplomat of kingdoms, the only one willing to gamble of peace. And he was the one who had stolen the heart of the king under the mountain. He stood from his place on the mountainside and headed back to the camp. 

Thorin was in his tent staring at the bead in his hands. "You should show him how to throw knives Nori," he said without looking up. "It would be a useful skill," he heard a shift of fabric from the hidden dwarf.

"Aye and I'll do so." Nori answered softly and he stepped from the shadows to approach his king. "The hobbit is training with Dwalin as well so you may have a challenge in the fight." A smile lit up his lip as he held out a hand for the bead, "may I?"

Thorin cautiously offered up the bead, "he will at least be passable then?" Nori didn't look up from his inspection. 

"The craftsmanship of this is beautiful, no wonder it took him an entire day and the dyeing is perfect. It shows a certain determination and attention to detail don't you think?" Nori asked avoiding answering the question. The nod he received from the king was all the reply he got. So he would actually have to answer the question then. "The hobbit could fight you now and be more than passable. Before long the outcome of such a match will be unknown."

"How?"

"Besides the training he has received from Dwalin he has offers of help from the rest of the company. He spends most of his free time practising and of course he picks up on the smallest of movements from his opponent. You may have a harder fight than you thought." Nori finished speaking and placed the bead on the king's desk. With a short bow he swept out of the tent leaving a confused king behind. 

Nori stalked away from the king's tent angrily muttering to himself. "How dare he insult Mr Baggins' honour." His feet carried him to the training fields where Dwalin and Bilbo were practising. "I would borrow Dwalin for a minute if that's okay?" Nori called to the hobbit.

Bilbo twirled away from Dwalin's blade and spun in an attack of his own that ended with his sword at the guardsman's throat. "Of course," he said not looking away from his panting opponent but he did lower sting cautiously.  
Dwalin nodded to him and jogged over to his waiting companion. "He's getting good. Do you think he can beat Thorin?" Nori asked almost immediately his voice pitched so the hobbit couldn't hear.

"Maybe," Dwalin agreed after a moment of thought, "it could be possible."

"He must win no matter what. Do this for me Dwalin, make him win, please." Nori said urgently and the guardsman stared at him. He couldn't remember a time when the thief had asked him politely for anything. More to the point he couldn't remember a time when the thief had asked him for anything.

"Then he will win." He said with a smile at the dwarf before him. "The hobbit shall beat our king in the courting fight, Nori." It was the thief's time to start at being addressed by his name.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12- Unsettled

Nori began speaking again so fast it was hard for Dwalin to catch it all. "He's so blinded to what happens around him. Barely notices when I arrive and when I leave and still thinks he misses nothing. Doubts my word too. I gave him my oath didn't I but he still waits for me to slip up and prove him right in doubting it. I've never felt so good in my life as I did when I gave that oath except for maybe when I offered him everything I have to protect him but no it isn't enough."

"What are you on about?" Dwalin asked casting around for a time when the dwarf before him had appeared anything but calm.

"Thorin. I gave him my oath that I would stop stealing and he doesn't believe that I won't break it. He thinks I don't know but I see him watching my every move." Nori said and he seemed even less calm now than he had moments before.

"Nori," Dwalin said softly but the dwarf wasn't listening. "Nori," he called again and the dwarf looked around at him. "I believe you will keep your oath, you've always done what you swore you would do why wouldn't you now."

Nori looked at him with an expression close to disbelief, "You believe that?" he asked so quietly it was almost a whisper.

"Yes," Dwalin breathed.

Nori smiled softly and nodded to him, "thank you. Now I believe I have to show Mr Baggins how to throw a dagger." He bowed to the dwarf before him and moved over to talk quietly with the hobbit.

Dwalin looked after him in amazement for he had not expected to be confided in by the now honest thief. He walked to the edge of the training grounds and lent on the barrier to watch the lesson. They started further from the target than he expected some thirty feet or so. His judgement that the distance was too far seemed correct when Bilbo's first throw didn't get even halfway to the target. 

He saw Nori smile and whisper something to the hobbit who looked carefully at the target and then back at his teacher. He took another dagger and waited while Nori tied a strip of cloth over his eyes. Dwalin wondered how exactly he would hit the target like this and scoffed at Nori's teaching methods. He froze in shock when the dagger when straight into the centre of the target. Nori removed the cloth and the hobbit sent another four daggers straight into the target. 

Nori nodded approvingly to the hobbit and turned his head slightly to look questioningly at Dwalin. He sighed and bowed to the ex-thief before he turned and headed away but not before he heard Nori speak, "let us try a little further away." 

Dwalin decided it was about time he found out what had happened to Nori and set off to find his king. As he walked he searched for the missing object that the thief had taken as he always did when they met but nothing was missing. The revelation shocked him so much that he stopped walking for a moment. If nothing was missing than something had pierced Nori to the core.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - Honour Amongst Thieves

Moments later Thorin was disturbed by a grinning Dwalin, "What did you do to Nori?"

"I' m sorry," Thorin asked confused. Why did it have to be one of those days where nobody made any sense.

Dwalin stared at him in wonder for a moment, "So the dwarf who just came ranting to me about you wasn't Nori. The thief who guards his secrets jealously didn't take Mr Baggins from me while we were training and offer to teach him how to throw daggers. He didn't have our burglar hitting a target from thirty feet away within the first six throws." Dwalin turned from his king and began to pace as he ranted, "he didn't tell me that the hobbit had to be able to beat you in a fight. I didn't hear about how unobservant you are. I didn't learn that he is proud of the fact that he has turned honest and wishes he could prove to you that he meant his oath."

Thorin opened his mouth to reply but his cousin cut him off. "So tell me your majesty what you did to Nori. He never shares secrets, he never opens up and he certainly never comes near me without stealing anything."

"Nothing," Thorin shouted over his ranting friend. "I did nothing to him. All I asked is if the hobbit would be passable in the courting fight." He wondered when his friend had become so fond of the now honest thief.

"Blast you, Thorin Oakenshield." Dwalin groaned sinking into a chair at the desk and grabbing Thorin's tankard of mead. He downed its contents before he spoke again, "they're colleagues. One's a thief and the others a burglar they're of the same profession. Have you never heard of honour amongst thieves?"

Thorin shook his head wondering how he had managed to receive two lectures in the same day. "That's because there rarely is any but sometimes a bond forms. Two thieves working together open themselves up to the other and a bond of trust appears. Wait long enough and an insult to ones honour is an insult to the other." Dwalin explained and he looked forlornly at the tankard before he passed it back to the king who grimaced at its empty state. 

"So what you're saying is that I now have the wrath of the most dangerous thief to contend with. How long will he continue to fight against me on matters concerning Bilbo?" 

"Forever. Honour amongst thieves is rare but he will always fight for Bilbo just as Bilbo with always fight for him," Dwalin grimaced, "it is unbreakable." He stood and stalked out of the tent just as Nori had earlier. Thorin sighed two angry comrades, two lectures and no mead left for him to drink. He stood and went in search of Balin perhaps he could shed some light on his brother's actions.

Dwalin meanwhile had gone in search of Nori who had left the training ground leaving Bilbo throwing a set of knives he had been gifted. The hobbit didn't know where he had gone so Dwalin left and made sure that enough people knew that he was searching for Nori that the dwarf would hear of it and then settled down to wait.

"You were looking for me," Nori said suddenly appearing at his side. It was only because he was used to these sudden appearances that Dwalin did not jump.

" I spoke to Thorin," he said simply.

"Did you now?" Nori asked as if the topic held little interest for him.

"Aye. I never expected you to employ the tradition of honour amongst thieves." 

Nori started and turned to stare at the dwarf at his side. "How did you learn of that?" He asked in a worried voice.

"Do not worry your kind hasn't betrayed your secrets. I was simply part of a similar pact with a dwarf who has also employed the tradition." Dwalin said swiftly reassuring his comrade and with one single moment of eye contact he was believed. "He told me about it before we sealed the pact and I told him to stick to it above our bond. Honour amongst thieves is a rare and sacred bond I would not have had him break it."

"What happened to him?" Nori asked softly his voice betraying his emotion.

"He died in battle. I almost gave my life to avenge him but his last words held me back . He told me that the thieves pack could be passed on when one died and he wished me to do so. He told me the name of the thief he had made the pact with." Dwalin said his eyes fixed on the dwarf before him, "and then that dwarf died and passed on the pact to his son."

Nori looked at the guardsman with shocked eyes. He had inherited a pact from his father but he had never known who it was with. "I did not know."

"I did not tell you." Dwalin replied with a sad smile, "but I have always watched out for you. I am glad you have turned honest." 

Nori nodded, "I always thought there was more to your chase of me than there appeared to be." His eyes glistened with unshed tears. Here beside him was a guardsman caught in a thieves pact with an honest thief. A dwarf forced to hunt the one he would protect to the end without a word but willing to go through the pain. All those little things that had let him escape, the holes left in traps and the carless mistakes. They had all been Dwalin protecting him, "You always left me a way out."

"Always," Dwalin agreed quietly, "and I always will."

Nori stood and the other dwarf moved to stand with him. An arm was offered and clasped in respect before Dwalin stepped back. He met Nori's eyes slightly sadly, "I want you to promise me that your pact with Bilbo will come first." Nori opened his mouth to protest but Dwalin didn't let him, "Please. It was a true bond not like ours though ours is stronger from the length it had endured. I need you to do this if you ever have to chose between us choose him."

"But what if you are in trouble?"

"I am the cousin of Thorin Oakenshield and a lord in my own right. I have a brother who will fight for my release and brothers in arms. Our hobbit only has us. I will help you keep your bond till my last breath and I will act as if it is my own. All I'm asking Nori is that if you have to choose between us that you choose him."

Nori looked annoyed but he eventually bowed, "then I will do so. You have my word." They clasped arms once more before they headed off in different directions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its a little longer than normal but it all seemed to need to be in one chapter. This is the start of the Dwalin/Nori paring getting a little more serious


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realise the last chapter may not have been very clear. Bilbo knows about the pact he has entered with Nori as both thieves have to agree to it. Nori explained honour amongst thieves at the time so Bilbo understands it.

Chapter 14 - Confession 

Thorin was still fuming. He could not find Balin anywhere and it was only making his temper worse. He stopped by one of the cooking fires and glanced around for someone who may know his councillor's whereabouts. "Bombur," he called and the dwarf looked up, "do you know where I might find Balin."

"I believe he was heading up to see what progress had been made on the restoration," came the reply with a bow. Thorin quickly expressed his thanks before he strode away in the direction of the main gates. 

He met Balin coming out of them and led him up to a private area in the shadow of the gates. The dwarf looked confused but followed his king anyway. "What can I do for you, my king?" Balin asked as soon as they were concealed from view.

"I had your brother come to me ranting about upsetting Nori," he said wearily.

 

"Dwalin upset Nori," came the reply in wonder. Balin had only ever seen his brother sacrifice for the thief and his family. Not that anyone else knew that though, he had once listened to Dwalin rant about how he had to let the thief go every time they met. His brother had been angry that another guardsman had accused him of being incompetent because he couldn't catch the thief. The next time Nori was sighted his brother hadn't been in the force that raided his home at night but he had disappeared all night. When Balin asked him where he had been all he had said was that the thief had escaped.

"No, I did apparently," Thorin said grumpily. He saw a range of expressions flash across his friends face before it became unreadable again. 

"Hm, that may not have been a good idea. Dwalin is very protective of him." Balin said without meeting the king's eyes.

Thorin looked at him for a moment in wonder. What could possibly bind a guardsman to a thief? Why would Dwalin side with Nori above him? "Why?"

Balin looked at him in contemplation before he spoke. Maybe it was time that the king learned what had befallen his cousin. "What I say now I ask that you never repeat for it is told only in sacred trust." Thorin nodded consenting to the secret, "what do you know of honour amongst thieves?"

"A little, your brother all but shouted it at me," Thorin replied confused.

Ah then, Balin thought, Dwalin was daring the king to figure it out. His brother wanted to tell Thorin but could not bring himself to admit what he had done. "It was after the battle of Azanulbizar. Dwalin was torn to pieces if you remember at the loss of Frein. What you never knew is that at well as being your shield brother Dwalin entered a warriors pact with one of the warriors he served with. That warrior was a thief who was caught in the pact of honour amongst thieves. Dwalin demanded that that pact was always placed above his." Balin looked up at the king to ensure he was still following. 

Thorin nodded for his friend to continue. He was unsure what exactly this had to do with Dwalin protecting Nori but he was interested in the insight into his shield brother none the less. "Well at Azanulbizar he lost that dwarf and was overcome with rage. What I doubt Dwalin told you is that the pact of honour amongst thieves can be passed on. When he died the dwarf asked Dwalin to take the pact and he did so and became a guardsman bound up in a thieves pact." Balin paused again searching for a way to continue the story. Eventually he began to speak again, "He became part of a pact with Nori's sire. When he passed away he passed the pact to Nori in the hope to protect him but Nori was never told who the pact was with."

"And Dwalin?" Thorin asked slowly beginning to understand what had happened earlier.

"He knew exactly who he was bound to. The very thief you ordered him to chase was the one he was sworn to protect, the one he would place above all else." Balin said and his eyes shifted to settle on something beyond Thorin.

The king turned to see Dwalin walking towards them with a grim expression on his face. "So I betrayed you and disobeyed your order to bring him in at all costs. I let him go time and time again and then others led the hunt. So I helped him escape from the traps." He walked forward until he stood barely an arm's length from his king and bowed his head, "I betrayed my own shield brother."

Thorin stood frozen in shock. He had never expected this, never expected Dwalin to find them. He couldn't accept the words spoke so sorrowfully from his cousin's mouth, couldn't accept the truth. "No, you did everything you could to bring him in."

He couldn't deny it any further when Dwalin knelt at his feet. "I swear to you my king that I did not. Honour amongst thieves is a pact which is not broken." Dwalin bowed his head offering himself up to the mercy of his king. Thorin closed the remaining distance crouching down before him and lifting his head with a shaking hand. Dwalin looked up and met his eyes unflinchingly but there was a depth of regret there that could not be placed. "I am yours Thorin. Always yours but I'll be Nori's first forever." Dwalin whispered and the king almost missed the words.

Thorin didn't speak for a moment at a loss for words. He thought for a moment about how to reply but before he could get the words out they were interrupted again. Dwalin was pulled back and a body was between them. "Please do not harm him, your majesty." 

Thorin's eyes focused on Nori. They thought he would hurt Dwalin, they thought he would come to harm over this. "Peace, I mean not to harm him Nori. I only wish to reassure him that I understand why he protects you so." He looked at Dwalin now sprawled on the floor where Nori had pulled him. "Get up cousin, I have no desire to see you kneeling in the dirt. Nor does anyone else wish to see the new head of the king's guard on the ground."

Dwalin's head snapped up and his gaze fixed on Thorin, "what?" he rasped as he pulled himself to his feet. His mind still trying to comprehend what was happening.

"I was going to make the announcement tomorrow but you may as well know now. I'm making you head of my royal guard." Thorin said with a comforting smile, "I suggest we accept what has happened in the past and then move onwards."

Thorin did not wait for a reply before he walked away leaving three shocked dwarves behind him. It had been a tiring day he decided as he strode in the direction of his tent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thorin didn't come out quite right in this chapter. He was meant to be trying to comfort Dwalin while Dwalin thought he was going to be punished but I'm not sure if it came across right. Basically the chapter was just a bit of background about Dwalin.
> 
> All comments are welcome even if you just want to ask about a confusing part of the plot.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - Responses

Bilbo paused outside the king's tent, glancing at the flowers in his hand. He took a deep breath and walked forward. It had been a week since they had agreed to start courting and he had finally gathered the courage to pick the flowers.

Thorin looked up at his entrance and smiled softly at the hobbit. He rose from his seat behind the desk and walked across the tent to great Bilbo. The hobbit smiled back and glanced again at the flowers in his hands, "I know we agreed to follow each other's customs but I felt like I needed to give you these. 

The dwarf took the tentatively offered flowers and gazed at them for a while in wonder. Eventually he bent to kiss Bilbo's forehead. "Thank you," he whispered in the hobbit's ear.

"They stand for strength, courage, rage and..." Bilbo began but he was cut off by Thorin kissing his lips.

"Hope," Thorin breathed softly. The hobbit looked up at him in wonder for he had not expected Thorin to know the meaning of the flowers. He had expected the king to only look for the meanings he wanted in the book but it seemed Thorin had done more than that.

"Yes," Bilbo replied. "You were so full of hope that day. So full of hope and enraged that nobody believed you could retake your homeland." He smiled as he reached up a hand to tangle his fingers in Thorin's hair. The dwarf king looked down at him a soft smile on his lips.

"I suppose that I better give you a courting bead then," Thorin said and he reached into his pocket. The hobbit's protests died as he saw the bead, he reached out and took it slowly. "I carved it before we even started courting. I was going to give it to you when we retook the mountain but..." Bilbo didn't let him finish instead he held the bead back out to Thorin. The king winced and took it back sadly, "I understand."

"Thorin," Bilbo said softly reaching up to touch his face, "not that. I just - could you braid it in." Thorin looked at him in confusion for a moment before he kissed the hobbit again. 

"Then I shall do so," he replied. Carefully he began to braid the hair of the hobbit, he reached the end and smiled. "It is a wonderful feeling to see my courting bead in your hair."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 - Jailed

Nori, spymaster to the king, bound to the head of the king's guard, honour bound to the hobbit his king was courting, was relaxing in the newly reopened cells of Erebor. He hadn't even been doing anything illegal unless you counted meeting with some of the most notorious criminals to check that they weren't plotting against the king. The guard had raided the building though, cutting off all the exits as stormed through making arrests. He was cursing himself for not setting up the normal bribes before he entered the building. 

A while later a guard appeared and opened the door. He seized the now honest thief by the arm and marched him into the office of the chief guard. Nori nodded at the chief of the guard and turned to see who had taken over the office. His gaze landed on Dwalin, ex-chief of the guard now in charge of the king's personal safety, relaxing behind the desk. At his side stood Bilbo Baggins who was currently favouring Nori with a curious glance. He lent down to whisper to Dwalin who replied just as quietly.

"Nori, savoir of Erebor, you are released from the cells," Dwalin said his face impassive. "You have been vouched for," Nori looked straight back at him for a moment before he sunk into a bow. Dwalin nodded to the door, "wait outside and I will escort you away."

Nori bowed again this time to Bilbo before he turned and walked from the door. Back inside the chief was speaking, "why are we releasing him? He was found with those we know were plotting against the king. We should be interrogating him."

Bilbo let out a bark of laughter, "he would tell you nothing."

"No disrespect but you are new to out ways. We can make him talk," the chief replied and despite his carefully phrased words Dwalin let out a warning growl. 

"You won't. I interrogated him myself in the past." Dwalin said in the support of the hobbit glaring at the chief. Why could nobody see that Bilbo was more intelligent than they gave him credit.

"Of course," the chief replied, Dwalin was known for making people talk. He took the hint he could read on the dwarf's normally impassive face and left the room after a bow that wasn't quite deep enough to Bilbo.

Outside the office Nori was leaning against the wall and shot a smirk at the chief. "Next time you won't be released," he hissed as he passed which only made Nori's smirk grow. He'd be making damn sure that all the bribes he needed were in place by the end of the day. He was looking after the chief when Dwalin and Bilbo left the office deep in debate. They didn't even look at Nori so he trailed behind them lost in thought.

Nori bumped into Dwalin and looked up to see Bilbo grinning at them. "I'll just go," the hobbit said patting Dwalin on the back, "don't be too hard on him." Dwalin scowled but didn't reply instead settling for watching the hobbit walk away.

"You need to be more careful," Dwalin said looking down at the dwarf who hadn't stepped away from him. "If the king hadn't been told we wouldn't have got you out so quick."

Nori looked up at him with a grin. "It does matter too much. They didn't have enough to hold me."

Dwalin growled deep in his throat grasping the dwarf's sides and meeting his eyes seriously, "Yet they had enough to interrogate you. Don't expect me to accept that calmly." 

Nori lowered his head in a mixture of sorrow and shame, "I forget what it is to have people caring for me. Forgive me for the worry I caused you." Dwalin looked surprised by the sudden apology and offered a weak accepting smile just as Nori glanced up. The spy master and bodyguard stood there frozen for a moment with gazes locked. Very slowly Dwalin began to move lowering his head to claim the lips of his opponent turned friend, the thief turned honest, the law breaker turned law enforcer. Nori didn't move away instead accepting the kiss and reaching up to pull the dwarf down to deepen the kiss. The dwarf above froze before responding enthusiastically his hands moving from Nori's sides to encircle his waist holding him close.

"I thought you'd never kiss me," Nori moaned against Dwalin's mouth his fingers tangled in the dwarf's hair preventing him move away.

"Wanted to for so long. You're such a tease," Dwalin replied his breath coming in short gasps. He looked at Nori's mouth hungrily and the dwarf laughed pulling him down for another kiss.

"Been trying to get you to do this for ages," Nori replied when they broke apart next, "you're just too damn honourable."

Dwalin broke of the kissing stepping away and releasing the dwarf with a smirk. "I shall endeavour to be honourable again," he replied. Watching the spymaster's face go through a range of expressions.

Eventually Nori replied his voice halting, "please no. I'm glad I managed to draw you away from you honour for a while." He stepped forward closing the gap and raising a hand to Dwalin's cheek. "Don't stop now." Dwalin's eyes were still staring hungrily at him so Nori stepped back tauntingly.

Dwalin growled low in his throat, stepping forward to crush his lips to the spy masters. "Stop taunting me?" he growled when they broke apart.

Nori just grinned breaking away. "I have a report to make," he said softly before he turned and jogged away. Dwalin looked after him longingly for a moment before he walked away. He needed to get back to Bilbo before Thorin found out his hobbit was unguarded.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 - 'Watch your Step'

Nori slipped into the king's tent unnoticed to find him absent. Forced to wait he decided he may as well be comfortable as he did so. It was with a smile that he sank into a chair in the corner of the tent.

When Thorin entered he still did not speak instead waiting to be noticed. The king seated himself behind the desk and poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher left on the desk. Only as he raised it to his lips did Nori speak, "I personally wouldn't drink that." To his credit the king didn't jump only turned to face him. He lowered the goblet to the desk slowly, "Anyone like me could have poisoned it."

"There are no dwarves like you," Thorin replied but he did not pick up the goblet again so Nori counted it as a small victory. The spymaster stood and walked to the desk pouring another goblet of water. He studied the contents carefully and even sniffed them before taking a tiny sip. He held it in his mouth checking for any strange tastes before he swallowed it. When he had no reaction he held the goblet out to the king, who with a raised eyebrow took the goblet. He drank almost half of it in one go. "I needed that, I was horse from talking." Nori nodded and sat back down in his chair waiting for the explanation that would surely follow. "I've been convincing many of the higher ranking dwarves who have arrived in Erebor that you are trustworthy. They seem to believe you are plotting against me."

"Hmm, they don't have anything on me though. No charges, nothing."

"No. However you need to remember that these are people who you have robbed and they know it was you who robbed them but you passed away uncharged. They resent that you have risen to the same rank of them; resent that you are in my confidence; resent that you still walk free. They will keep going until they can hold you for something."

"Let them try," Nori snarled angrily. Getting caught had been a stupid mistake but he hadn't been thinking. He had entered the building with the knowledge that they were plotting against Thorin and in his anger that such an act was being committed he had entered blind. Oh, he had had Dwalin's assurances that the king's bodyguard would be far away; he had known everyone in the building or at least associated with them at some point but he had know that those facts were irrelevant. He had known that he needed to case the building but he hadn't . "I won't make that mistake again. I let my emotions rule me; I was blinded by my anger."

"Anger?" Thorin questioned, surprised that Nori was even admitting to a mistake. He was a proud dwarf who was a master of his craft. Thorin had met many dwarves who were not as apt at their crafts, who were less proud, who wouldn't admit to mistakes and certainly wouldn't admit to why they were made.

To Thorin's surprise the dwarf coloured slightly in embarrassment, "I used to work with many of those dwarves. Some of them I tentatively called friends yet when I heard what was happening I was so angry it clouded my judgement. They were plotting your death and I couldn't think straight. We may have been thieves but we were never assassins." He looked up to meet Thorin's eyes, "Watch your step, my king. For they will make a move soon." 

Thorin considered his words before he replied, "I cannot hide away. I have you and Dwalin watching for danger that has to be enough." He caught the disapproving look that was being cast his way and sighed. "What is it?"

"Dwalin for all his strengths cannot protect both you and Bilbo at once. I cannot constantly be at your side and investigate the plots." He fell silent thinking to himself for a moment before speaking again, "But I can." His gaze locked on Thorin's urgently, "I need to speak with my network. Don't leave this tent, don't eat and definitely don't drink anything not already in that goblet. Call Dwalin and Bilbo here and don't let them leave." Nori was on his feet in an instant and in his rush he sped out the tent entrance. The guard started and called after him but did not chase instead ducking inside the tent to check on Thorin.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18- Gathered

Nori moved quickly through the camp but not so quickly that he stood out from those surrounding him. His feet carried him where he wanted to go and he spent more time observing his surroundings that he did planning his route. In the end that turned out to be a good thing that he was because he managed to spot the dagger in time to dodge out of the way.

He was armed with a dagger in both hands before he had time to think about the reactions of those around him. He unconsciously shifted into a fighting stance and gaze around coolly searching for his attacker. A flicker of red caught his eye and he bounded off in pursuit.

He was led on a chase through the camp until he reached the outskirts, where the dwarves were sleeping in the open rather than in tents. He slowed down and cautiously walked through the cramped alleys between the shelters that the dwarves had erected. Hearing a crunch behind him he spun around dagger raised to block the blow he heard slicing through the air. His eyes locked with the other dwarves and he pulled the blow that had been about to kill him. "Nice greeting," he commented sourly.

"There are a few dwarves who have a problem with you. They seem to find it suspicious that while they are still in the cells you are walking around free."

"So they of course jumped to the most obvious conclusion and as usual were wrong. Don't you think that if I had called the guard in I would have had the sense to wait before getting myself released. No I walk free because I have the friendship those who can release me before I even bother to contact them." Nori lowered his weapons, confident now that he could win this fight with little effort. The other dwarf seemed to realise the same thing because he sheathed his own weapons that were useless against Nori anyway.

"Very well. We will hold off on any action against you." 

"Good. Make sure it's known that I won't let the next assassin set against me got alive no matter how poorly or well trained they are. There is a reason I was the only thief with power in Eruid Luin." With that Nori turned and walked away sheathing his daggers as he did so and set off once more to contact his network of informants. On his way he spotted Balin and hurried over to send the dwarf to Thorin's tent to stop the king doing anything too stupid. 

Nori dropped into step behind his second and began speaking in a low voice that couldn't be heard to anyone else. Nor could his lips be seen moving, "I need to devote all my time to something for the foreseeable future. I need you to head to the meetings about Thorin's assassination. All reports come to me in the same manner but you take on the big jobs." He walked off still without even looking in the dwarf direction confident without confirmation that his orders would be followed. 

On his way back to Thorin's tent he came across the princes on the training ground. Fili stood by his brother's side as he shot arrow after arrow at the target. Nori walked up behind them and grabbed each by the arm dragging them after him. So used to him appearing they didn't even protest instead complying and walking at his sides. He still didn't release his hold though in case he suddenly needed them to move quickly. 

Arriving back at the king's tent he nodded to the guard who stood outside. The same one he noted who had been surprised when he left the tent and entered. He only released the princes when he was inside telling them to stay with a look before he exited and scouted out the area around the tent. Returning to the entrance he gave orders for the guard to fetch Bifur and Bofur to ensure that the conversation inside the tent went unheard. It was then that he entered the tent and looked around at its occupants. 

Thorin was still seated at his desk but a chair had been pulled up next to him and the hobbit was seated in it. At Thorin's right shoulder stood Dwalin while Balin was standing by the tent's entrance his hand on the pommel of a not at all ceremonial sword. The princes were sitting on the floor by their uncle somehow managing to look both carefree and serious at the same time. Of course, Nori thought, it would fall to him to explain the danger they were in.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 - Guarded

Nori paced the tent trying to decide how to begin aware that they were all waiting for him to speak. Eventually it was Kili who broke the silence, "I heard you were arrested again."

Nori looked at him and inclined his head in thanks for a point to start, "you heard right. That was due to the crux of this problem. I was attending an assassins meeting and well the guard stormed the building. The important fact is that whilst the meeting was stopped they weren't."

Bilbo was looking between him and Thorin his eyes wide with worry, "you mean to say..." he trailed off apparently unable to voice the rest of that thought.

"Yes, Thorin's life is still threatened. We need to take precautions to protect not only him but you and the princes as well. I've personally stepped back slightly from my work so that I can aid Dwalin in protecting him personally. The princes I know are each other's bodyguards but I want to add another in plain view as well as one of my own operatives, the same for you Bilbo." 

Nori glanced towards the tent entrance as the protests began, "Let them in Balin." The dwarf stepped aside confused for a moment before Bifur and Bofur entered the tent. "Bifur, used to work as a guard for the trade caravans he's going to be guarding the princes. Bofur isn't as known for his skill with a blade but we can all vouch for that skill. He'll be following you Bilbo and it won't look too odd as he's often found in your company." 

The two dwarves who had just been appointed bodyguard movements without any prior knowledge glared at Nori before they turned together to bow to the king. "Despite not having any knowledge of this before now, we are honoured to guard your family," Bofur said as he rose from the bow.

Thorin's eyes fixed on Nori, "you think this will work?" The spymaster nodded his head, "And your men will be invisible?" Another nod, "Okay." Nori felt relief spread across his face at the knowledge that the extra protection had been accepted.   
The princes and Bilbo left the tent with their new security and Balin followed them soon after. The remaining occupants of the tent relaxed into chairs content with the silence that had fallen. Or at least until Dwalin decided to break it, "What is it you're not telling us Nori?"

The dwarf froze, he didn't think he had been caught his one when he had withheld the information. The words tumbled from his mouth unbidden, "I momentarily may or may not have had a price on my head."

"That's nothing new," Thorin commented dryly ignoring the glare sent his way, "why the sudden problem?"

"This wasn't the guard trying to get me for some petty theft. This was the most notorious criminals trying to kill me for what they thought was me releasing information."

Dwalin was sitting attentively in his chair now, people were threatening Nori. "You said had?" he questioned suddenly clinging to that word.

"Yes, they've had a little reminder about the fact that even if they are the most notorious criminals now that I am officially honest, I am still a master of the craft. They seem to have remembered why they've never made a move against me before," Nori said a slightly evil grin on his face. He glanced at Thorin to see a slightly horrified look on his face and exchanged a quick conversation with Dwalin in sign. "Don't worry I didn't kill anyone," he said to the king eventually, "didn't even get to do anything illegal. It was a bit dull really."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 - Two Rulers In Eruid Luin

Thorin strode towards the mountain with two dwarves at his back. Two dwarves who were meant to be protecting him but were more focused on each other. At least he thought Nori was focused on Dwalin it was hard to be sure with his spymaster. He had received a report that the restoration crews had finished the royal apartments and was heading to check.

He walked almost in a daze up half remembered stairways as his feet followed the familiar path to the apartments. He only came to himself when he reached the door to his old room and Nori's hand snapped out to pull him away from the door and pushed him against the wall. "Stay," the spymaster growled at him. When he tried to take a step away from the wall it was Dwalin who shot out a hand to pin him again. The guard glanced across at Nori and nodded, he would make sure the king stayed.

Nori shot a taunting grin at Dwalin before he opened the door to the room. It was only his quick reflexes which had him out of the way of the arrow fired his way. The expression on his face disturbed the king whilst Dwalin was wearing a weary half amused scowl. Nori seemed to be enjoying the idea of a room full of traps to kill Thorin and it was with a smile that he stepped into the room. 

A while later he came out again and winked at Dwalin as he said, "Nice room you have there, my king. Nice and dangerous for you; some might even say it is a good room to die in." He stepped aside from the doorway and gestured for Thorin to go in. 

The king stepped inside with Dwalin on step behind him and the spymaster after that. Dwalin's eyes landed on the tidy pile of arrows in the middle of room as well as a pile of knives and all the goblets and plates that the room had been stocked with. It seemed his honest thief had been right to stop Thorin entering the room. "All of this?" The king questioned reaching forward as if to pick up an arrow. 

"Don't touch," Nori said sharply and the king pulled back. Nori crouched down by the pile and gestured for Thorin to do the same. "You see how the shaft has an unnatural shine to it as if it has been polished." The king nodded and Dwalin lent down to take a look, "The shaft had been dipped in poison if that even brushed your skin there is a high chance you would die." 

"How did you recognise it?" The king asked looking across at him. There was much more to his spymaster than he knew and it seemed even the criminals of Erebor were cautious of attacking him as there had been no more attempts on Nori's life over the past few days.

"I've fired my fair few," Nori replied, not at all worried about admitting to firing poisoned arrows to the king. He gestured to the goblets and plates, "I'll be washing these personally before you so much as touch them and then I'll be keeping them clean. I can think of a couple of ways to keep them untouched but they will take time so for now continue to do what you're doing." 

Thorin didn't know how to reply to the fact that Nori had just admitted to what could be called murder. Dwalin it seemed did though, "So this is the same poison that killed that guardsman?"

Nori looked a little embarrassed at that but he didn't deny that he had killed the guardsman. Instead he offered what would be an attempt justification if it was coming from anyone but Nori. The king and Dwalin had learnt long ago that Nori wouldn't attempt to justify what he had done. He simply did what he believed best at the time for good or bad no matter what others would think of him. "He shouldn't have tried to intercept the arrow. He protected a known assassin and for that he died. If he had let the shot strike true I'd have killed one dwarf instead of two."

Dwalin looked at the honest thief, the spymaster of Erebor, his one, the dwarf he was bound to and he saw no regret. Nori's eyes shone with a hardness that his life had brought him but at the same time he saw a shimmer of annoyance. The dwarf might not be remorseful over what he'd done but he was annoyed that he'd had to take a second life, if only because he had to acquire more supplies afterwards. "We identified that body. He wasn't an assassin," Dwalin said slowly then his gaze sharpened. "Why were you trying to kill an assassin?" He asked in what was almost anger.

"I can assure you he was an assassin," Nori replied calmly. "He came to me and requested permission to work in my city. Seeing as I didn't know who he was I granted permission, then did some digging. When I found out what he was and who he was sent to assassinate I killed him." 

"Why did you stop him?" Thorin asked from where he had been standing listening to the conversation. While Dwalin chocked out, "your city," in disbelief.

Nori turned to look at his king for a moment as if considering how to reply to Dwalin's question. Eruid Luin had been under both his and Thorin's rule for while one kept the criminals in order the other kept the honest in order. "You have to understand that though we were criminals we still had a hierarchy. Eruid Luin was my city and that meant that I knew what was going on in it. If you want to work a big job in a city you make sure you have permission." He fell silent as he let that news sink in. He glanced at Dwalin before he replied, "He was going to kill someone whose death would have hurt my brother. I don't like assassins and to have one even near my brother was too much. Besides I'm glad I did he may be a stickler for tradition but he's not that bad." 

"Balin," Dwalin breathed in shock and the spymaster nodded. So Nori had fired that arrow and killed that guardsman to keep his Balin alive. He had always wondered what it was that had caused Nori to fire those two arrows and now he knew. "Thank you," he breathed.

Nori shot a look at Thorin as he stepped closer to his one. Luckily the king took the hint and turned away as Nori enfolded his one in an embrace. Searching Dwalin's eyes for silent permission, he drew him in for a soft kiss. It was nothing like their passionate kisses of the night before but a soft kiss. A brush of lips, to remind him that there were people who protected him and his family. "I won't let anyone harm him. Not now, not ever," Nori vowed softly.

Dwalin looked down at the dwarf who had killed who knew how many, who had just vowed to kill again for him. The dwarf who had just admitted that he had run the criminal network in Eruid Luin. Every time the thieves had pulled a big heist on a nobleman this dwarf had held the strings. Yet he didn't love him any less because of it. Suddenly fixed his eyes on Nori's face and pulled him into a passionate kiss. "I love you," he murmured in the dwarf's ear.

"And I you," came the reply. Dwalin felt the body against him arc in pleasure as Nori tried to get closer to him. His hands slipped down from Nori's waist to rest on his arse just as Nori's hands tangled in his hair. He let out a moan as Nori pulled him closer to deepen the kiss and bucked against the dwarf in pleasure.

The sound of a throat being cleared loudly broke through to them and they broke apart slightly, casting sheepish looks in Thorin's direction. "As happy as I am for you as I believe I have already expressed. Perhaps you could keep such activities to when I am not present." The king said in a voice that was more exasperated than angry. The two dwarves glanced at each other and the king smiles, "go on, get out of here. I'll be perfectly safe here."

They looked at him for a moment before the sped out the door. Nori was back moments later, "Don't touch any of that pile while we're gone," he ordered.

"Nori!" Dwalin called and with a grin at his king the dwarf disappeared from view. Thorin sat down in a chair and let out a weary sigh. Nori and Dwalin were so caught up in each other at the moment that he wondered if they were actually capable of focusing on protecting him from attacks. He smiled at their fresh love and set to work on the gift he was crafting for Bilbo.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry there's no much Thorin/Bilbo in this chapter it's Dwalin/Nori again. The next chapter will have some though and Fili and Kili make a appearance again.

Chapter 21 - Afraid

Thorin had settled quickly back into the royal apartments taking up residence in his old rooms. Luckily the rooms had escaped the destruction the dragon had brought and with a quick clean where habitable again. He hesitantly offered one of the rooms to Bilbo while his nephews took over two more. Dis' old room was left for her when she returned with the last caravan of dwarves. 

Nori looked at Thorin in shock and them down at the object on the table between them. "You want me to do what?"

"I want you to put it in Bilbo's room so when he wakes up he sees it," Thorin replied trying to sound as if he hadn't explained this several times already. Really Nori was being unnecessarily slow.

"You could just give it to him like a normal being," Nori muttered darkly but he caught the look on Thorin's face. "Fine, I'll do it. I'll sneak past the guard I've put on Bilbo because no one could get past him to put the gift in the room."

Thorin frowned at that, "You mean you can get passed?" He questioned urgently suddenly worried about Bilbo's safety. If Nori could get passed then who else could?

"No, I can't. Do you see my point? The guard on Bilbo is so good that I can't get passed without being seen and stopped. You on the other hand have a perfectly valid reason." Nori replied exasperated with the king. He sent a pleading glance at Dwalin who was watching them with something akin to amusement on his face. Luckily he decided to help Nori rather than continue to watch him argue with the king.

"Thorin, it will be a much better gift if you are there to give it," he said roughly without moving from the wall where he was leaning. Clearly deciding that he had aided Nori enough he pulled out a whetstone and started honing the edge of one of his daggers.

The king trued once more to get his friends to do it his way. "I wanted him to see it when he woke up." Nori suddenly grabbed Thorin by the arm and marched him out of the room. Dwalin followed with a sigh still lost in his weapons. Nori nodded to some shadows as they neared Bilbo's room and the king assumed that was where the guard was but when he glanced across he couldn't make out the shape of a dwarf. They reached the door and Nori pressed the object Thorin hadn't even seen him pick up into his hand and opening the door for him. With a pointed look he sent Thorin into the room; the king glared at him but entered the room to seat himself in a chair at the table to wait for his hobbit to wake.

Outside the room Dwalin looked at his one curiously. "Did you just march the king of Erebor down a corridor because he was too stubborn to go to Bilbo's room himself?"

Nori looked up from where he had settled on the floor by the door with a wicked grin on his face. "Yes. Though let's not pretend he was stubborn when we both know he was just afraid how the gift would be received." Dwalin sank to the floor beside him a soft look on his face as he gazed at his dwarf. Slowly he lent closer and stole a quick kiss from his lips. Nori frowned and pulled him closer starting a much deeper hiss than the lust which became much more heated when Dwalin responded enthusiastically. Nori's hands slipped under Dwalin's shirt just as Dwalin tangled his own hands in Nori's hair.

Suddenly the door opened to reveal the king looking at them with an exasperated fondness. "You may as well come in. I can hear you well enough and I'd rather you weren't found in the corridor like this."

Nori and Dwalin rose to their feet still hopelessly entangled and entered the room. "You seemed jealous Thorin. Is it because I can have Nori now while you have to dance around courting rituals?" Dwalin asked grinning as he sunk into a chair and Nori curled up on top of his lap.

"Not jealous Dwalin. You're simply picking up on the sound of one who's long suffering. Why is it that you are always so affectionate near me." Thorin replied as he resumed his seat from before and lit his pipe trying to ignore the way Nori was peppering Dwalin's neck with sleepy kisses.

"It may have something to do with your protection, my king," Dwalin replied and he glanced down at the sleepy Nori for a moment before adding, "And Nori's." He ignored the feeble protest that came from his one instead just putting a hand on his back to pull him closer to his chest. "You've got assassins on you and so does he and he has the added bonus of your nobles wanting him dead. Forgive me if I want to protect you both and that has led to you observing our affections." Dwalin finished pressing a soft kiss to a now asleep Nori.

Thorin sighed and puffed on his pipe before, "You're right of course. I should not reduce the value of your friendship by complaining about your happiness. You have much to worry about and I've wished this for you for years."

"And I you," Dwalin replied softly as he felt Nori shift slightly against him. "Now we both have found our ones."

"Nothing short of a miracle," Thorin replied with a rare smile, "considering we both gave up long ago."


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So more Thorin/Bilbo in this chapter. There's also a bit more of the princes and Nori's network. Hope you like it and feel free to comment on what you think.

Chapter 22 - The Gift and The Attack

Thorin and Dwalin stayed awake the entire night enjoying each other's company as they watched over their loved ones. Nori woke an hour or so before dawn and left quickly with a murmured reason that neither dwarf heard. Taking advantage of his regained ability to move Dwalin left saying he would fetch breakfast.

The king smiled and waved him away knowing breakfast would be a while as Dwalin would be a while as Dwalin would get sidetracked on the way probably by Nori. He knew though that it was as much them giving him time along with Bilbo as wanting private time for their affections. He glanced down at the courting gift and smiled, sometime during the night Dwalin had convinced him that it would be well received. With a considerably lighter heart he sat back to wait for Bilbo's awakening. 

Bilbo woke before dawn and stretched out in the bed in his new chambers. When Thorin had offered them to him, once the royal wing was opened, he had carefully explained what such a gesture meant to a hobbit. The king though rather than changing his mind had become even more hopeful that Bilbo would accept. That was what led him to be laying in a gesture of Thorin's desire to court him and marry him. More it was a gesture of how the king wished to provide for his future.

Slowly he stirred from the bed with every intention of getting breakfast when he saw Thorin. The dwarf was sitting in a chair watching him. "Has anyone told you that that's creepy," he asked groggily. 

Thorin gave one of his rare bursts of laughter. "Dis does repeatedly. I wanted to give you something though." He stood and walked to the bed so he could sit beside Bilbo and offered the gift in his hands.

Bilbo looked down at the beautiful pipe. Carefully he took it so that he could examine it closer. The bowl was carved into the shape of BagEnd while the stem had miniscule pictures of their quest. "It's beautiful," he breathed.

"It is custom among my people to give a gift when courting that shows you understand what your one enjoys in life." He paused and then forged onwards, "you like smoking so I made you a pipe but I wanted to take it further. That's why I made it BadEnd because you love home and the quest because you love adventure and I left it open because you enjoy the unexpected."

Bilbo looked up from the pipe to gaze at Thorin. "Before we met only two of those things were true but now I couldn't bear to be separated from them." He glanced down at the pipe, "Thank you."

"You accept," Thorin asked to hear the words aloud.

"I accept," Bilbo replied, "I'll treasure it always." Thorin leaned down and pressed a kiss to his hobbit's cheek before sliding off the bed as Bilbo made to get up and dressed.

Bilbo was snuggled against Thorin on the sofa when Dwalin arrived his arms carrying breakfast. Behind him came Nori also carrying food. "I thought we could eat together," Dwalin said when the king raised a comment about the amount of food.

Breakfast was a long affair with various people appearing with messages for Nori and Thorin. Bofur also turned up so he could accompany Bilbo for the day and he was invited to share the food. Several interruptions later the princes burst into the room and the sound of running footsteps echoed down the corridor as they closed the door.

Thorin was about to reprimand his nephews on the correct way to end a room when Nori's head shot up listening to the footsteps. Quickly he grabbed the princes and gestured to the small antechamber. They headed there without complaint their eyes shining with suppressed fear. A quick motion from Nori had the hobbit following them grabbing Sting as he passed it.

Nori and Dwalin exchanged a flurry of hand signals before the latter took up a place in from of his king with his weapons drawn. Nori too was armed his knives appearing in his hands as he turned to face the door. Behind him Thorin and Bofur drew their weapons and waited.

Suddenly the door opened and two dwarves burst in at a run. The dwarves behind Nori tensed but he stood still. The strangers nodded to him, "They were after the princes," one said as they took up places either side of the door. Thorin was about to ask who they were when the door swung open again. This time Nori bounded forward his knives flashing as the two mystery dwarves joined him. They made quick work of the five dwarves who had entered the room.

Nori looked down at the bodies and crouched down. Between them and the two dwarves they identified the bodies. Turning to one of the dwarves Nori spoke quickly, "Tell him that he's going to meet me." He ordered and the dwarf rushed away as he turned to the other, "What happened?"

"We were shadowing the prince's when we realised we weren't the only ones doing it. Their guard stopped the first attack and we managed to get close enough to order them here. Gave them your seal so they'd do as we told them and then tried to dispose of the threat. That was when we realised we were surrounded by them and took off after the prince's to cut a way through for them."

"Their guard?" Bofur asked anxiously from where he stood.

"He's fine. We separated at the gates and he hoped to lead them away. As far as we know those that continued the chase followed us." 

Bofur looked at the king waiting silently for permission, "Go," Thorin growled urgently if anything happened to Bifur well it wouldn't end well. Bofur rushed out of the room sheathing his weapons as he moved. Thorin turned to Dwalin as Nori exchanged a flurry of orders with hand signals. "What are we going to do?"

Dwalin looked at him for a moment before he slung his axes into the harness on his back. "Trust him. It's the only thing we can do." He replied eventually and when the king followed his gaze he realised it rested on Nori. "We have to trust him to get us all out of this alive."

"He just called for a meeting. He knows who's behind this," Thorin replied clearly ready to suggest arresting whoever this dwarf was.

"No, I don't." Nori said turning to face them. "But we are aware of someone who can pass on the message and whoever is behind this won't pass up the opportunity to meet me. Though it will be the last thing they ever do." Thorin looked ready to argue that he wanted the dwarf alive but Nori spoke again silencing him. "I do believe it's time I made Erebor mine." With that he sped out the door and into the mountain.

"Where's he going?" Bilbo asked from the antechamber with the door open. Sting was now belted around his waist and he was making no move to remove it.

"To establish his rule," the strange dwarf replied. "He doesn't want us to leave before he returns."

"How?" Thorin asked curiously. Nori had had a strangely dark look in his eyes when he left the room.

"Let's just say the number of criminals in Erebor will be significantly lower tonight." Came the reply and Thorin looked somewhere between appalled at such a method and impressed that Nori would undertake it alone.

Fili and Kili emerged from behind Bilbo to approach the table where the food lay forgotten. "You got out? We thought you were dead," Fili said, glancing at the strange dwarf, as he picked up a bread roll. His brother tossed something through the air that was caught and pocketed with a skill similar to Nori's. None who had watched the action could say where it had disappeared to. 

"No, we were the ones who cut you a way out," he replied as he settled on the floor near the door to wait. The rest of the occupants in the room weren't so patient and launched into an immediate discussion of events. Well everyone but Dwalin who moved to join the dwarf seated on the floor. "You're Nori's bonded aren't you?" He asked and Dwalin looked across sharply but nodded all the same. "The guardsman in a thieves' pact, it made me laugh we he told it. Don't let Nori fool you that pact goes two ways. He'll do anything to protect those he loves that's why he's out there now. For you, then for the hobbit and then for his king." The dwarf fell silent apparently done with conversation leaving Dwalin to mull over what he had been told.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 - Ruler of Erebor

Nori stalked out of the gates of Erebor and towards the makeshift town spinning a dagger in his hand. He went straight to his old tent and seated himself to wait for the arrival of the man behind the assassination attempt.

He didn't have to wait long before a dwarf entered his tent and seated himself in the one empty chair. Nori looked him over with a curious eye before he spoke, "You are going to stop."

The dwarf let out a short bark of laughter as he looked at Nori. "And the king's pet thief is going to stop me." 

Nori glared angrily at the dwarf before him, "I am no pet thief. I am Nori the dwarf who ruled Eruid Luin and now I rule Erebor. When I tell you to stop you stop and you don't start again without my permission." 

"You don't rule Erebor. It belongs to me not an honest thief." Came the reply and Nori glared angrily, "So no I'm not going to stop."

"Pity," Nori said in a voice that implied it was nothing of the sort. He was out of his chair in a flash of movement towards the dwarf on the chair. The dwarf tried to stand from his chair and defend himself but Nori was too quick and slashed a blade across his neck. "Erebor is mine," he growled as the dwarf died. Dropping the body to the floor he sped out of the tent in search of his next opposition to the rule of Erebor.

He didn't return to Bilbo's room until late that night. When he entered its occupants were resting in the chairs of the room. "You'll be safe now from the assassins," he explained as he moved towards a chair. The others looked at him curiously but he was so obviously weary that they restrained their curiosity as he passed into sleep. Bilbo gestured for him to be moved to the bed and Dwalin stood to do it. He lifted the dwarf gently into his arms and carried him to the bed where he laid him down gently. Dwalin noticed the specks of blood that Nori hadn't managed to remove from his hands and frowned slightly. Nori had gone far further in the protection of those he loved than most would ever even consider.

Dwalin moved his chair next to the bed and seated himself to watch over Nori as he slept. Across the room Thorin watched him with a sad smile on his face and he knew that when Nori woke he would have to answer to the king. Whatever Nori had done though he would stand beside Nori and defend him as he had defended them today.

Meanwhile Bofur had managed to find Bifur where he was standing alone on the mountainside. Around him lay the strewn bodies of dead dwarves and the spear in his hand was bloody. "What has it come to when we must kill our own to protect our king?" He asked in kuzdul without turning around to look at who was approaching knowing somehow that it was Bofur.

"Long ago we were pushed from our home and we lost who we were. Now we have our home and we must find who we are again. Until then we protect those who we must from those who will harm them." Bofur replied as he stepped over the bodies and took the spear from Bifur and offered him a soft smile. Come on we need to get you out of here and somewhere to so you can relax. 

Bofur took him away from the dead dwarves towards the base of the mountain. Slowly Bifur calmed down enough to relax from the fight with the assassins to the point where he was no longer questioning what they were doing. He nodded in thanks to Bofur and together they set off towards the kitchens in search of Bombur for food. It was always hard for Bifur to come down from the battle high but at times like these when it was not in his favour to win the battle it was considerably harder.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry but It's a short chapter

Chapter 24 - Questioned

Nori woke in a bed when he was so sure he had fallen asleep in a chair. It was then that he became aware of Dwalin seated in the chair beside him and sat up to look around. He was in Bilbo's bed and as he looked around he saw the room was empty save for Thorin who was standing staring into the fire. Nori shot a worried look at Dwalin but the dwarf just looked back with a comforting gaze as he tried to reassure his one. Nori smiled and stood from the bed swaying slightly on his feet before he grew steadier and walked towards Thorin. "My king," he said with a bow.

Thorin turned away from the fire and studied him carefully before he spoke. "What should I do, Nori? When my own protector, my own spymaster brings death to Erebor to gain power?"

Nori glanced down at the floor in submission to his king even as he answered. "I don't know what you should do. Only that I act not out of a wish to gain power but to protect those who I love."

The king looked at him sadly seeing how deeply the man's actions of the day were resting on his heart. He could see how much it hurt him to have turned back to his thief's roots even when he had sworn to become honest. How much he regretted it. "I know. As long as my nobles never find out what happened we can let it passed." Nori shot him a grateful look and nodded his head in agreement, "Tell me what happened."

Nori froze for a moment before he began to speak. His eyes darkening for a moment at the memory of what he had done. "I visited some people and gave them a choice. Either they accepted my rule or they died. Most choose to accept me for they know I ruled Eruid Luin." Thorin seemed to accept that and moved on from dwelling on his spymaster's actions. 

Dwalin stood from his seat and moved to support his one as he wavered on his feet. "Are you okay?" he asked in a worried voice. Nori had slept through most of the night and then slept for several hours when he returned and still he seemed tired.

"I'm okay," he said but as he did so he collapsed heavily into Dwalin's arms. The dwarf frowned and carried him back to the bed. Nori caught sight of his worried look and sighed, "It's just exhaustion. The energy needed to move at full speed to get ahead of another criminal is too much more than normal. Keeping the assassins away has me and my men rushed off our feet to keep them back and we've been sleeping with one eye open and it takes it out of you. I should be able to sleep properly again now." Dwalin gave him a disbelieving look but let it go to allow Nori to sleep again to recover from the exhaustion.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so it has been pointed out that we don't know where everyone else is while Nori is asleep in Bilbo's bed. So this chapter covers what happened while our spymaster was asleep. I'd also like to note that although the mastermind behind the assassins is dead we will find out more about him and them as Nori's control over the criminals slips. As always comments are welcome, please feel free to ask if something is confusing.

Chapter 25 - The True Answers

With Nori asleep everyone looked to the dwarf who had finally explained himself as Nori's right hand. The dwarf looked at his sleeping commander before he spoke and when he did he had the same air of authority that Nori exhibited normally. "It would be best if we left Nori to explain this to you alone," he explained to the king. 

The other occupants of the room looked at him sharply and Dwalin let out a growl, "I'm not leaving."

"I would expect nothing else from his bonded," came the reply as the dwarf's gaze flickered to Dwalin for a moment. "But the rest of us should probably leave. It's late and you need to sleep at some point." 

Slowly they departed from the room and as Bilbo passed the king his hand shot out to stop the hobbit. "Take my room," he said in a tone that implied he simply wanted to know where Bilbo was going to be with his own room taken up. The hobbit looked at him for a moment before he nodded and left the room after the princes. 

Nori's right hand looked at the king for a moment before he spoke, "Don't be too hard on him. He had no choice but to do what he did." The king looked at him for a moment before he nodded and the dwarf bowed to him. "My thanks," he said and he glanced at the door, "I shall watch over your hobbit." With that he turned and left without waiting for a reply.

Thorin watched him go in amazement. He had yet to learn the dwarf's name but he carried himself with the same quiet confidence that Nori did. The dwarf seemed completely unfazed facing assassins and talked about murders in a matter of fact way. He was ready to stand against his king for his commander that he clearly cared for greatly even though if Nori were to fall he would be reporting to that very same king. The king wondered why Nori had set his own second in command to watch over the princes and then he realised that Nori cared enough for them to want to give them the best protection that he could. The spymaster had sacrificed his chance to find the assassins quicker when he choose to watch over Thorin personally and set his best men to protect the king's loved ones. 

Bilbo entered the king's rooms and moved towards the bed but moments later was opening the door again his eyes sweeping the darkness curiously. His eyes were fixed on the dwarf who was hidden in the shadows as he grinned slightly, "you may as well come in." With a shocked look the dwarf entered the room reassessing the hobbit. "Don't worry about it, Nori showed me the places where you could hide outside the king's rooms. I think he was trying to teach me something as a burglar as well as making sure that I could perceive threats to Thorin." 

The dwarf nodded at this, "Most likely Mister Baggins," he replied his mind darting back to when Nori had done the same for him. He had no doubt that his commander was preparing Bilbo to protect Thorin in case he couldn't be there. He made a mental note to keep an eye on the hobbit's progress because one day he would need a right hand of his own. 

"Bilbo, please," the hobbit replied with a wave of his hand as he settled at the table. The dwarf seated himself opposite him with unexpected grace. He pulled a flask from somewhere on his being and offered it to Bilbo who gestured for him to drink first with a smile. He took a drink and offered it to the hobbit who watched him for a moment before he took the flask. So the hobbit still didn't trust him entirely then, that was good he would need that wary mind later. The others close to the king had placed too much blind trust in him and even the king had shown some semblance of trust and the only one he could condone such an act from was the king's bodyguard. Being Nori's bonded meant that they trusted each other's judgement so that made his trust more acceptable. But here was a hobbit who knew little of dwarves, who was also in a thieves pact with Nori and he didn't trust him.

"Gari," he said simply as the hobbit passed the flask back. At the hobbit's confused look he expanded, "my name." The hobbit nodded apparently ready to take this as true for now. The dwarf himself was surprised that he had given his true name rather than one of his many fake ones but he needed to urn this hobbit's trust somehow. 

"What did Nori do?" The hobbit asked and before he could be answered he added quickly, "And not just what the king will be told please."

Gari looked at him for a moment before he replied surprised that the hobbit knew there would be two versions of events to know. "Nori needs to rule Erebor to be effective as spymaster but there are many who will not follow him because he is officially honest. He is well known as the dwarf who ruled Eruid Luin and that will work in his favour but he's waited too long which means he will have to go further to consolidate his rule. He is widely known as the most deadly criminal, the uncatchable thief but he's no longer a criminal and his one is an ex-guardsman." He paused for a moment to let the hobbit take this in and then he continued. "The mastermind behind these assassins will be given a choice hand over control to Nori or die but they both know that only one of them will walk out alive and they both know that will be Nori. He'll then have to visit those who were following the mastermind and might be in line to take over. All of those who don't give in to his rule will die and those who do will live. That is the choice that Nori will offer them and that is what the king will be told; that they were offered a choice."

"But there's more," Bilbo prompted seemingly unaffected by the mention of assassins and murders.

"Those who used to follow Nori in Eruid Luin who he seeded control to when he left on the quest will die. Many of them where offered the chance to join him when he went to Thorin to pledge his support but they refused. Of those who are left they won't just have to give in to Nori's rule he'll stop them performing any large jobs in the Erebor restricting them to petty criminals rather than the feared criminals they are now. If they refuse or fail to follow that order..."

"They die," the hobbit said simply. "I understand. Nori left it too long to take over without bloodshed and now he has to make it clear cut. You follow him or you die otherwise there will be resistance to his rule." 

Gari nodded and spoke again, "Some of them will pledge themselves to him and accept the conditions before they flee Erebor. They'll come back with a plan and a new leader and when they do we had better be ready."


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Nori's awake again and the king has a day of work to catch up on thanks to the assassins

Chapter 26 - Restoration of Erebor

When Nori woke again it was to find Dwalin in the bed with him an arm resting protectively across his waist. Across the room the king was sleeping in one of the chairs and he wondered what was stopping him from sleeping in his own room. He felt Dwalin stir against him and watched fondly as he woke. 

Dwalin woke to see himself being watched by his one and offered him a sleepy smile. To see Nori awake and alert was a spark of joy for him. "You okay?" He asked quietly with a loving look on his face.

Nori took a moment to reply pushing himself up from the bed so he could see his one more clearly. "I'm fine," he said. Catching sight of Dwalin's look smiled, "Honestly. I was just tired from the energy I was exerting." Dwalin still didn't seem to be entirely believing of him but appeared content to let it slide. 

They relaxed for a while in the bed before they heard the king stirring in his chair and rose from the bed. Thorin woke to find the other two occupants of the room sitting at a table talking quietly. He blinked sleep from his eyes as he rose to great them. "Better now?" He asked Nori who rolled his eyes at the question.

"Apart from wishing everyone would stop asking me that, I'm fine." Nori replied with a smile and the king laughed at him. It was a return to normality to have Nori trying to rile him up again and after the tension of the past few days. He was glad that the fight with the assassins was over and it allowed him to finally relax with his family safe. 

"Good," he replied eventually and he walked to the door. "Now seeing as I lost a day I had better go and see how the reconstructions are going." He paused holding the door open behind him and looked back at them, "well are you coming?" Dwalin and Nori jumped to their feet with eager smiles to follow their king. Thorin looked at them fondly, his right hand and his left hand, one working with the law a visible protection and the other working around it able to go where others couldn't in a silent protection. He set off walking again with them both half a step behind him on either side.

They met Balin at the restoration site and he bowed low to his king before nodding to his kin. The dwarf did not question their absence the day before instead talking them through the progress that had been made. "We've opened up more of the old houses and have let those who are here start moving back into the homes they lost. There are still some of their possessions there and they seem very glad to have them again." They walked further into the site and Balin gestured to a passage to the side where a much smaller group of dwarves was working. "We're trying to reopen the mines but have concentrated our main efforts on the houses as you commanded. Luckily they weren't too badly damaged so it's quick work. We should all have a mountain over our heads again before Dis arrives." Thorin nodded and walked on to observe the work more closely with only Nori behind him as his bodyguard stopped to talk to his brother.

"What happened yesterday?" Balin asked urgently glancing at his brother where they stood in the middle of the cavern.

Dwalin glanced around to check they weren't being watched and dragged his brother to the side of the cavern. "There was an assassination attempt on the princes. We had to make sure that the king and them was safe." He said in a voice that only just carried to his brother's ears. 

To his credit Balin managed to keep his face impassive at the news but a hand flashed out to grab his brother by the wrist. "You managed to fix it?"

"Nori did," came the reply and a question flashed across Balin's face. "He was gone all day and when he got back he was too tired to move." Balin was suddenly concerned for his brother and how he had dealt with Nori in such a state. Dwalin cared so much for his one that he had no idea how he had coped with his one in such a state.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a bit more about Nori's history but not much. Just enough to explain the fighting that left him so tired. Please if it's still confusing then please tell me and I'll try and explain it more. There's also a mention of one of Dwalin's old friends from the guard who will return at a later date.
> 
> Thank you for all the comments you've been leaving as always they are greatly appreciated.
> 
> The next chapter will hopefully be based around Fili and Kili and how they spend the night and day after they are nearly assassinated.

Chapter 27 - Trained, Feared and Explained 

Thorin was walking back toward the brothers when he stopped and turned to Nori. "I've never seen you fight like that before," he said. It had been a surprise to see Nori moving at such a speed when he fought the assassins. "How did you become so fast?"

Nori looked at him and saw honest curiosity in the king's face. "It takes a lot of training. I spent half a century doing nothing but practising until I was that fast. I'd go hunting for food and spend the whole hunt practising drawing my dagger. I'd practise combat until I was going to collapse and then continue for the same amount of time again." He paused for a second, "I kept going until I was the fastest there was and then worked on it for even longer so there was no doubt. In the criminal world I am known as The Viper. It's one of the reasons I can claim the respect I do because they know that if I want them dead they won't see me coming."

"You didn't use it on our quest?" Thorin commented with a slightly annoyed tone.

"You saw how tired it made me to move that quickly several times in a day. Besides I did use it once, when we were captured by elves." Thorin thought about that for a moment for it was true that he was the last to be captured by the elves. Nori had even been holding his own against the elf trying to capture him with his blades spinning with a speed that rivalled even the elves. It had been a surprise then to watch that duel as more and more elves had entered in an attempt to subdue him. Nori had held his own duelling four elves at once as they moved at full speed until more had joined the fray and he had been overwhelmed by sheer numbers. He remembered how Nori had been slumped in his cell asleep for hours after that. 

Eventually he inclined his head in reply and set off walking again with Nori following him. He tried not to focus on the fact that he was accompanied by someone who had recently reminded him of the fact he used to be a notorious criminal. He knew now he had Nori to thank for the safety of his family all those years in Eruid Luin where they hadn't even been the victims of theft like so many other nobles. He suspected that Balin and Dwalin had also been exempt from such acts as Nori protected them all because his brothers' were loyal to them and therefore so was he. They soon reached the brothers and from the look on Balin's face when he saw the spymaster Thorin knew that he had been filled in on the events of the day before.

Nori smiled at Dwalin in greeting before he turned to speak to the king. "By your leave, my king," He said and Thorin was sure the utter respect in his voice was there for the benefit of listening ears rather than being heartfelt. 

"By all means," he answered with a wave of his hand. Nori bowed and walked away with his head held high. He watched him walk away and noted how he held himself proudly and exhibited an air of confidence. It seemed that no matter what the nobles of Erebor thought Nori did act like the lord he was. Before the spymaster, dwarves parted and he walked though and inclined his head in gratitude that made him look almost regal. It was easy to remember sometimes that he was indeed a descendent of Durin's line no matter how distant. Thorin smiled at the thought and turned to Dwalin, "Feel free to do whatever you wish. I have a council to attend," the dwarf bowed and stood still watching his king and brother walk away lost in conversation.

Dwalin stood still for a while longer as dwarves moved all around him before he strode purposefully from the mountain. His feet took him to the training field where he vented his pent up energy on the training dummy. One of his old friends from the guard arrived and offered to spare with him. It was an offer which he took up enthusiastically and they spent the better part of an hour spinning their weapons through the air. When they finished they set off together to find one of the many stalls that had been set up selling ale. He was so lost in his old companion that he didn't notice several known criminals were giving him wary looks until it was pointed out. "What did you do to make them so wary of you?" His companion asked as they sat in the shade of a tent. 

Dwalin looked up to see a couple of criminals watching him with wary looks on their faces. As they felt his gaze it turned to fear and they fled the scene. "Oh it wasn't me." He said and was on the end of a disbelieving look. "You remember that we always though there was someone ruling the criminals in Eruid Luin?" He received a confused look but a nod all the same. "Well it was Nori," he said in a matter of fact way.

"Wait didn't you just tell me he was your one," came the reply to that and Dwalin sighed and took a deep draught of his ale. 

"He is. Anyway he's now ruling the criminals in Erebor and I guess there's a threat hanging over them if they hurt me. It seems they are taking it a little further to the point of avoiding me." Dwalin replied after a while his gaze adopting a far off look as he pictured his dwarf.

"But he's working for the king. He turned honest," his comrade said now completely confused. 

Dwalin set his drink aside so he could explain more carefully. "He is and he hasn't broken the oath to turn honest. The king granted him a pardon for everything he had done when he joined the quest and he's now a lord. The fact remains though that he did do those things and that is what matters in the criminal world." It matters to Thorin's nobles as well he thought to himself angrily. "Those acts have allowed him to gain control of the criminals here and to hold them off from doing great harm while we rebuild." His friend nodded seeming to comprehend what he meant and Dwalin picked up his drink again clunking their tankards together before taking a great gulp of ale.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised the princes are in this chapter. There's also some more Bilbo and Gari (Nori's right-hand). Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 28 - When Scared What Is There To Seek But Companionship

The princes couldn't bear to separate from each other after they left Nori asleep in Bilbo's bed. It was the assassination attempt on their lives that had led to him being in such a state and they felt responsible for the pain that Dwalin had been in when they left. They could see that his one being in such a shape had left him in a sorry shape and they didn't like being responsible for his hurt. 

They also didn't like the idea of being alone after the attempt on their lives. They settled into Fili's room and curled up together on the floor together before the fire. They passed into an uneasy sleep taking comfort in the knowledge that the other was safe. Several times during the night one of them jolted awake but finding the other safe and sleeping calmly they soon passed back into sleep. 

In the morning they woke slightly less scared about losing each other and yet they were reluctant to part company. They set out to the kitchens to fetch breakfast with their weapons belted to their sides and their eyes scanning around for threats. They still hadn't spoken preferring to communicate silently through gestures which were far more comforting.

When they reached the kitchens they found the brothers Ur and their cousin sitting at one off the long tables eating breakfast. They joined them and one of the cooks on duty brought over a meal for them to share. "Thank you for yesterday," Fili said to Bifur and his brother nodded his head in silent gratitude. 

"I'm simply glad you got out okay," Bifur answered in kuzdul and beside him Bofur looked worriedly at him for a moment before he glanced away to return to his breakfast. 

"You escaped them fine then?" Kili asked and Bombur winced but stayed silent waiting for his kinsman to reply.

"I had a small fight but nothing I couldn't handle." Came the reply and silence descended as they all focused on their food. It seemed that they were all taking comfort in their family after the day before. Dwalin seeking out his brother and keeping a close eye over his one, the princes being more inseparable than usual and the Ur family eating together in silent comfort for Bifur. Even Bilbo had sort the company of Nori's spy network in an effort to find family through their shared profession when his own family was far away. The only one forging on alone was Thorin but he had no choice but to stand alone as king of Erebor however much he wanted to seek out his nephews or the hobbit to check they were safe. 

The two princes left breakfast and headed to find Ori and Dori in the hope that even if they couldn't thank Nori they could at least check on his family. They walked side by side arms brushing in silent comfort as they tried to overcome the memory of their terror the day before.

Meanwhile Bilbo had slept soundly with the knowledge that Gari was watching over him. He woke to find the dwarf eating breakfast and he rose to join him. After breakfast the dwarf disappeared for a minute or so to return will some fresh clothes for the hobbit. He gestured towards the bathroom and the hobbit nodded gratefully as he went to have a quick bath. The water was cold as it was normally heated by the forges and they were yet to be fired again but he still found it refreshing to be clean again.

When he emerged Gari was sitting in a chair by the fireplace reading a book but he looked up sharply when he heard the hobbit approach. Bilbo sank into the chair opposite him and remained silent for a while before asking the question he was clearly eager to ask. "Will you help me with my daggers? Nori was teaching me but he got caught up in the assassins and I was hoping you might be able to help in his absence."

Gari looked at him for a moment, "You have some?" he asked eventually and the hobbit picked up a package he had taken with him from his room the night before. Opening it he showed the throwing daggers inside to the dwarf. Gari looked over the set of daggers marvelling at the craftsmanship and the runes etched into the blade as well as the twisting flower pattern. "Who made these?"

Bilbo blushed, "The king. They were a courting gift. He said that when he met he misjudged me when he thought I could not survive in the wild and that these showed how he believed I could protect myself." Gari smiled glad to know his king had gifted the hobbit a useful gift for that part of the courting. All that particular part of the courting required was a gift to show how you trusted your one to protect not only himself but you as well. It didn't surprise him that the king had neglected to tell the hobbit that it meant he trusted Bilbo to protect him as the hobbit was already extremely protective of the king. If he knew that the king condoned it he would be ten times worse. 

"Okay I'll help you with the throwing daggers but not on the normal training fields." Bilbo looked at him in confusion for a moment. "Nori had some target's set up for both him and I to practise away from anyone else. We both have a habit training to release our anger and the daggers are sent a little quicker than usual. We can be a little twitchy when that happens so we prefer to practise away from anyone we might harm." Bilbo nodded in understanding and started to attach the daggers in their sheaths to his person. Gari noted with approval how they were concealed by the fabric of his clothes but still easy to get to. When he was done Bilbo gestured for the dwarf to lead the way and they set out for the practise ground.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29 - The Captain of The Guard

Nori stalked alone through the mountain before heading out into the temporary town. The criminals inclined their heads in respect and fear as he passed and it made him stand taller like the lord he was. He may have been given a title by Thorin but he had earned this one and he was proud of it. The citizen's of Erebor bowed their heads in respect to one of the saviours of the mountain, to the dwarf who was so often seen at the king's side yet so often just vanished. 

Without realising it he headed to the jails to find out just who had been arrested recently. To his annoyance the captain on duty was the one who had been reluctant to release him when he had been arrested for doing his job. He barely spared him a glance as he headed towards the cells, "Hey you," he called after him.

Nori turned with a stony look on his features at being addressed by a dwarf who had shown blatant disrespect for Bilbo. The captain studied him for the first time noticing how he was wearing much richer clothes than when he had been arrested. "Did you rob a noble?" He asked and Nori had to restrain the urge to growl at him. Instead he just turned away to walk toward the cells choosing to forget about the captain. "Stop," he ordered and several guardsmen appeared to see what the commotion was. "You don't have the authority to be here."

That was enough for Nori and he turned to the captain with a glare. "Fetch the commander of the guard," he growled at a nearby guardsman who with a quick glance at his captain sped away. "I have every authority to be here. I take it you know who I am if you are going to make such a claim."

"A low-life criminal," the captain replied trying to anger Nori enough that he would do something that would result in his arrest. "Who has no right to be here except behind the bars."

Nori let out a bark of laughter at that. "I am no criminal not anymore. All of my law breaking acts were pardoned by the king when I helped him reclaim Erebor. I am no low-life I am Lord Nori son of Kori, advisor to the king." For the first time his confident almost regal bearing was taken in by those who stood around him. 

"You are no such thing," the captain replied taking a threatening step forwards. "You were caught in a meeting where they planned to assassinate the king." 

Nori didn't bother with a reply to that instead opening his arms up slightly inviting the captain to take his best shot at having Nori arrested and charged. His eyes caught something over the captain's shoulder and his challenging look turned to a smirk. "I assure you he is who he claims to be," came a calm voice. The captain turned to see Fili standing there with his brother half a step behind him and he quickly offered a bow. The guardsmen around him followed suit but Nori simply inclined his head slightly. 

It had been a shock to them all when Thorin had announced that he wanted Fili to take over as commander of the guard but the prince had taken to it quickly. The prince showed how well he had taken to that roll now when he flashed a series of hand signals to the guards watching without taking his eyes off the captain. "This dwarf is a lord of Erebor who stands at the side of the king. Anything that you think you know about him is wrong and you would do well not to question him again. Can you cope with that?" The captain seemed unsure what to do now when faced with the obvious approval of his prince. 

When he failed to reply Nori shifted forwards a step ready to intervene but Kili beat him to it. "Your commander and prince asked you a question you would do well to answer him." The prince said his voice cold as he restrained his anger from bursting out.

The captain struggled to cope with the ire of both princes but did finally manage to reply. "Of course, my prince." 

Nori somehow managed to keep the smirk off his face but it was close. "Good," Fili replied in a final tone. "Lord Nori, do whatever you came here for. We will be waiting for you in the office." Nori nodded and inclined his head before he headed in the direction of the cells.

"Why do you let him disrespect you so, my prince?" The captain asked curiously as they headed for the office. Fili did not reply immediately but his brother let out a short burst of laughter that he thankfully managed to reign in quickly. 

They entered the office and Fili turned to the captain as he closed the door leaning back against it. He studied the man before him before he started to speak, "What I'm about to tell you goes no further." He began with a half glance at his brother and the captain offered an oath of silence in reply. "He is allowed such actions because he his bound both to the king's bodyguard and to Mr Baggins. He cannot move against them and his loyalty is tied to the king through them. More than that though he is kin, he is a dwarf of the line of Durin and he stood by us when no one answered our call." 

He stopped and his brother took over without missing a beat in the explanation. "He gave an oath to our king and he stands against all that threaten him. If there is one thing you shouldn't forget about him it is that though he is deadly in his own right but he will never be disloyal."

Fili took over again as he heard footsteps in the corridor, "He had the authority to visit the cells whenever he wishes. He also has the authority to release any of the prisoners from the cells even if the king has given direct orders for that man to remain in the cells." As he said that he passed across a piece of parchment that was signed and sealed by the king as Nori opened the door and stepped into the room.

"I am done here, my princes. Am I to believe due to his absence that Gari is with Bilbo?" Nori said and the captain was again surprised at the lack of respect in his voice. The princes exchanged a look guessing that Gari was the mystery dwarf of the day before and nodded. "Then I take my leave," Nori said and he sped away.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short

Chapter 30 - Daggers

Bilbo stood at the far end of the practise range with a throwing dagger in his hand. "You expect me to be able to throw this into the target from here?" he asked Gari with an eyebrow raised. The dwarf didn't bother to reply instead just gesturing for him to throw the dagger. Bilbo gave him an annoyed look and then tossed the dagger the way Nori had showed him. It spun through the air to embed itself in the target and Gari grinned at him. 

"Noir wouldn't be letting you walk around with daggers if you couldn't throw them," he explained and he gestured for Bilbo to throw another. The hobbit drew another dagger and threw it at the target and it thudded into it. As he drew another dagger Gari held his harm still, "you need to start it slightly further back," he explained moving Bilbo's arm to the correct position. "Move you forefinger so it rests here," he tweaked the hobbit's grip slightly. "Now try," he ordered stepping back. Bilbo released the dagger and it went into the centre of the target. 

"Much better," a voice said behind them and they turned to see Nori standing there watching them. "Maybe you should take over his training," he said gesturing for them to continue as he moved to his own target. Nori threw a series of daggers at top speed sending them all into the middle of the target. He retrieved them and threw them again and again only half concentrating as he focused on Bilbo's lesson.

The hobbit seemed relaxed with Gari as he listened to the dwarf altering his technique accordingly. Finally the dwarf seemed happy with the technique and stepped back, "try throwing them closer together," he ordered. Bilbo fetched his daggers and put them back in their sheaths before standing ready opposite the target. Taking a deep calming breath he launched into action drawing and throwing daggers, sending them at the target. He didn't have anywhere near the speed that Nori did but it was still impressive. 

Nori froze in his practise as the hobbit retrieved the daggers and threw them again. A smile it up across his face, "You're improving." He gestured for Gari to take a turn at the target and he did his movements smooth and graceful but at the same time hard to follow as the blades flashed through the air. He threw more than Nori but they were just as accurate each one slamming into the centre of the target.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So if you remember a while back I mentioned the hobbit's cooking each other meals. Well this is all about the meal Bilbo cooks Thorin for their courting and the result of the meal.  
> As always your comments are all welcome and if you don't understand something feel free to just ask.

Chapter 31 - The Courting Meal 

Bilbo went towards the stalls that afternoon with a purse of gold concealed in his clothes. He walked among them looking at the ones selling food. Slowly he began to make purchases asking for them to be sent to the kitchens and set aside for him. It took him a while but eventually he had everything he needed and left the market with considerably less gold.

He wandered around the reconstruction site for a while to allow the purchases to arrive in the kitchen. Then he headed that way thinking through his plan for the evening again. He had already made sure that Nori knew to get Thorin to his room in time. Now all he had to do was stop Bombur from feeding him and to make the meal.

When he entered the kitchen he was soon stopped by that very same dwarf. "Why are you ordering food, Bilbo?" he asked while he led the hobbit in the direction of the packages sent for him. "We have most of this already," he commented as Bilbo began to unwrap them.

The hobbit looked up, "I needed to buy these myself." Catching the dwarf's curious look he paused in his unwrapping to explain. "It's a hobbit courting ritual to cook a meal for the one who's courting you."

"So this is for Thorin?" The cook asked looking over the food on the table and marvelling at the amount of food the hobbit had made.

"Well I'm not courting anyone else," Bilbo answered with a roll of his eyes. He smiled at the dwarf and gestured at the food, "if you could refrain from mentioning it."

"Of course, I suppose you don't want anyone feeding him either." Bombur replied and the hobbit nodded. "Come with me," he said leading Bilbo to a section of the kitchen that couldn't be seen from the entrance. 

"Thank you," Bilbo replied as he set to work on the food. He was starting with a batch of scones that he thought Thorin might like before starting on his best dish. It wasn't just a symbol of love to cook your best dish for the one courting you. It was a promise that they were the most important thing to you and that you would never leave them. Once he cooked this dish for Thorin he would cook it for no others without Thorin's approval first. 

Thorin was angry, first he had visited the kitchens to fetch some food but Bombur had turned him away before he had taken more than a step in; then Nori had forced him away from his room by making him visit the market. He claimed that it did the people good to see the king visiting their stalls and he had no choice but to go. Nori may have been right but that didn't lessen his anger at being pushed and pulled by his friends. 

Finally he stalked to his rooms but this time he was not slowed by Nori instead the dwarf seemed to be encouraging him to head back to the room. The dwarf vanished at the beginning of the corridor leaving him to continue alone. Thorin only became aware of his absence when he reached the door and found himself alone. With a glance behind him he searched for the dwarf quickly before he looked away and pushed the door open. 

He was surprised to see Bilbo standing in the room in front of a table hiding it from view with a soft smile. He waved the king forwards to take a seat as he stepped away revealing the meal on the table. Thorin let out a soft gasp at the food as he walked forward to embrace Bilbo before taking a seat. "Didn't you say this was part of hobbit courting?" he asked curiously as the hobbit seated himself opposite him.

"I did," he replied simply and the king tried not to smile too much.

"Are you sure you want to do this? You said you'd never be able to make the meal again." Thorin said a little cautiously hoping that the hobbit really did want to do this.

"There will never be another after you, Thorin," came the reply. Thorin was so happy at that reply that he didn't stop to think before taking a bite of the meal. The hobbit grinned at him and tucked into his own meal. They spent the meal in comfortable silence enjoying each other's company rather than talking. 

Thorin couldn't say he'd had a better meal and that wasn't just because it had been cooked for him. He may have spent decades on the road but he had never managed to gain much skill at cooking and had a great amount of respect for those who could make meals such as this. To have Bilbo give this meal to him as a gift was something he could never put a value on. "Thank you," he said softly his gaze locked lovingly with Bilbo's.

Bilbo smiled at him and gestured for him to stay still while he stood from his seat and took the plates from the table. He disappeared into a side room before emerging with a plate of scones which he set on the table beside the fireplace inviting Thorin to join him. The king came closer and they curled up on the sofa together wrapped up in each other's arms. Thorin reached out for a scone and slowly fed it to Bilbo letting the hobbit take small bites at a time. A crumb fell to the hobbit's neck and Thorin looked at for a moment in thought before he lowered his head towards it. His tongue darted out to pick the crumb up from his neck but instead of moving away he moved closer. Bilbo gasped at the feel of Thorin's mouth on his neck and his arms moved to hold the king tighter. Thorin pressed his lips harder against his neck sucking slightly and smiling into it as the hobbit groaned. 

Eventually Thorin's mind caught up and he pulled backing looking disappointed and he smiled sadly at the hobbit. "I'm sorry but the courting," he began but Bilbo silenced him by pressing a scone to his lips.

"I know," Bilbo said soothingly as the king chewed. Thorin grinned in reply and took another bite of the scone. He had thought Bilbo's meal was good but the scones were running a close second at the moment. Finishing the scone he licked Bilbo's fingers clean but the hobbit pulled back sadly, "The courting," he explained at the king's hurt look.

"You know sometimes I think Dwalin's right," Thorin said slowly his hand wrapped around the hobbit again. "I am jealous of Nori and him. They can do whatever they like because they decided not to court. They're getting married as soon as the last caravan arrives and we're going to be dancing around courting rituals." 

"We need the more conservative dwarves to accept us. They have no such issues to deal with so as frustrating as it is we follow the courting rituals." Bilbo replied and settled down to relax in the king's arms for the evening. They exchanged the occasional murmur of conversation but they rarely broke the silence that had fallen over the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I didn't tell you which meal it was but you'll find out more about it later. Probably in a scene involving Fili and Kili seeing said meal and asking Bilbo to make it for them.  
> If you were wondering about the scones they were mixed berry scones. I decided on this because there are woods nearby.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32 - The Coming Arrival

Nori was standing in the shadows twirling a blade in his hand as he waited. He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to watch the dwarf approach. "Sir," Gari greeted inclining his head in deference. 

"You were teaching Bilbo," he stated softly watching the dwarf shifting under his gaze. He looked slightly embarrassed to have been summoned by his superior. Gari was often found disciplining dwarves on Nori's account and did not enjoying having the roles reversed. He had ceded control to Nori though letting the dwarf dictate the meeting. That was why he didn't dare to reply to the statement instead keeping his eyes fixed downwards. "You were ordered to protect him not to train him." Once again Gari remained silent not even considering explaining that Bilbo had asked him to train him. He knew he should have refused rather than taking Bilbo away from the protection he was offered in the mountain. "However," Nori said and his head snapped up. Nori normally just ranted until he was done leaving whichever dwarf he was angry at to pull himself together and follow the barked order that Nori finished with. Nori restrained a smile and forged onwards, "you did not ere. Bilbo Baggins is a burglar by trade and should be trained as such." He paused taking pleasure in Gari's surprise, "Most of the time we are the last line of defence but in the presence of Bilbo he becomes that last line. He needs to learn and I cannot always teach him. I need you to give him that training."

Gari looked at him in surprise, that had sounded like a request and the dwarf smiled back at him. Suddenly he realised the need to answer, "It would be an honour to train Mr Baggins," he replied finally. Nori smiled and clasped his right hand wrist in farewell before leaving. Gari looked after him in amazement for a while before he too walked away with his head held high.

Nori was thinking as he walked towards the rooms that the king had forced upon him because he was a Lord. He had not meant to discipline his right hand but he needed Gari to understand that he was the only one who could go against commands without a punishment. The hidden nerves of the dwarf had confused Nori until he realised he had never really explained this and he made note to do so when Gari wasn't so on edge. He needed Gari to act without orders now for one day he would take over the network. The dwarf had done well in training Bilbo, the hobbit could well be his own right hand in time and before that Bilbo had to fight the king in the courting fight.

Arriving in his rooms he almost froze to find them occupied but managed to keep moving. He rarely stayed in the rooms preferring to occupy Dwalin's rooms next door; so to find someone waiting for him was out of the ordinary. "Hello," he said softly causing the dwarf to jump and spin around. He only just managed to contain his joy at seeing such a reaction from Dori.

The dwarf scowled disapprovingly, long used to deciphering his brother's closed expressions and took a step away from the table. "I just came to tell you that Dis is due in this afternoon."

Nori sped from the room to find Dwalin before his brother had even finished speaking. Dori let out a huff of laughter at his brother's antics and lent back against the table. It was strange to see his younger brother so infatuated. Nori had always been very restrained with his emotions but he was letting his love run wild for all to see.

Dis arrived at the head of the caravan dressed in armour with a sword belted at her waist and Legolas at her side. Thranduil had sent his son out to escort the dwarves from the other side of Mirkwood with a company of elves. Now the elf walked beside the dwarven princess with something akin to friendship.

Thorin stood to greet them and unlike when he had stood before Thranduil he was decked in fine clothing. His hair was braided as normal but the only bead decorating it was the courting bead from Bilbo. That hobbit stood at his side and had under protest allowed Thorin to drape him in expensive fabric. His hair was braided back with Thorin's bead and the king had placed a golden circlet on his head with such a happy smile that he didn't have the heart to remove it. On either side of them stood the princes standing proud with great fur cloaks on their shoulders and circlets on their heads. They both had mithril clasps in their hair as they stood proud before the arrayed dwarves.

Behind them stood the nobles of Erebor but the company stood a step further forward. Decked in jewelled treasure they looked much more powerful than those behind them. Dwalin and Nori stood in pride of place behind the king with their weapons clearly on display. The head of the king's guard had his axes on his back and a sword at his waist while the spymaster had a belt with an array of daggers on display. Both had hands on their weapons ready to protect their king against any attack.

As the caravan approached Legolas stepped aside to let Dis approach at the head alone. Eventually they came to a stop before Thorin and the nobles behind him bowed to the princess. "Sister," Thorin said stepping forward to embrace her. You could feel the relief in the air that the last caravan had arrived without fault. When Thorin stepped back she checked back from his sister she was greeted by both her sons at once. As they stepped back she checked them over for injured. "We're fine mother," Fili said smiling at her.

"Get these dwarves housed. They sleep in Erebor tonight," A cheer went up around them as the dwarves in the caravan were met by family and friends to take them into the mountain. Gloin was hit by a young dwarf and he crouched down to pick him up overjoyed to see his son again. With a nod from the king he stepped from the party to greet his wife and show them to his apartments in the mountain. Most of the nobles disappeared after that and a few of the company drifted away to greet friends. This left only a handful of dwarves standing with Dis.

"So who's going to tell me about this quest then?" She asked and the grin on her face was similar to Kili's when he was up to mischief. 

Fili offered his arm to his mother, "Come up to my rooms and we'll tell you there." Dis shot him a surprised look at how grown up he seemed compared to when he left her. The rest were left to follow after them as they plotted to keep certain facts about their quest where her sons had been in serious danger from her.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33 - Dis

"We heard Thorin shout in pain from the bottom of the mountain and rushed to find him and he was holding Bilbo in his arms. We thought he was almost dead," Bilbo let out a moan of protest but Kili ignored him forging on. "Anyway four days later he was standing at Uncle's side as he treated with the elves."

"Yes, how did that come to pass?" Dis asked ignoring the fact the hobbit had made a miraculous recovery for now.

"That would have been Bilbo's idea," Thorin said contributing for the first time since the conversation began, "he made quite a case for the idea."

"You mean you can't deny him anything," Nori said with a grin from where he was sharpening a dagger.

"A bit like you and Dwalin," Thorin replied sharply but there was no real bite behind his words. He caught Dis's confused look and decided to take pity on her and explain. "They've been a little closer than they used to be." Around him several dwarves scoffed at that explanation and the princess was even more confused.

"We're going to marry," Dwalin said roughly without looking at her. Around the room silence fell as she turned to look at him in surprise. "We were just waiting for your caravan to arrive."

Dis looked from one to the other and back again trying to figure out if they were joking with her. Apparently satisfied they weren't she spoke, "Congratulations." She would never have expected those two could become so close. The last she had seen on them they had to be restrained from tearing each other's throats out. It was nice to know that they had found love on the quest especially since she knew that Dwalin had given up on finding his one. 

"Thank you, my lady," Nori replied as his voice held more respect than he had ever shown to Thorin. 

The king scowled at him but couldn't bring himself to call the dwarf on it instead continuing the explanation he had been giving before. "Thranduil agreed to meet and we paid him for his help as well as securing trade with the elves." He paused for a minute before he continued, "I have entrusted the Arkenstone to his keeping."

Dis' head snapped around at that her gaze disbelieving, "Surely I misheard." The silence around her was answer enough, "Why would you do such a thing brother? The Arkenstone is a treasure of this kingdom."

There was a sudden tension in the room as the company remembered Thorin claiming it to be exactly that. As they remembered Bilbo's brave value to gain peace with Thorin lost to the gold sickness and how the hobbit had broken his own heart. "It is no treasure," the king finally spat. "It is a curse that drags us down into the gold sickness. I had to get rid of it before it cursed another." He calmed slightly and when he spoke again his voice was full of pain, "I chose it over my one, Dis. I almost killed him over it. I can't take that chance again not when he has forgiven me so readily." 

Dis smiled at her brother and wrapped her arms around him in comfort. "I know, brother. I just needed to hear it from your own lips." Thorin looked up at her and smiled softly pulling Bilbo closer to him. That was another strange pairing Dis decided but from what she had seen of the hobbit he seemed to balance Thorin out. From what she had heard of their quest he had a vein of mithril running through him. There was a certain connection between the hobbit and Nori as well for he seemed to recognise every time the dwarf shifted, or anyone else for that matter, but he was more attuned to Nori his eyes scanning around them whenever he caught the dwarf move. It seemed Bilbo wasn't completely clueless of the dangers that could be present even if Thorin wasn't so focused on them. Maybe he would keep her idiot brother alive.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34 - Before A Wedding...

It was two days after Dis' arrival and Erebor was preparing for a wedding the next day. The great banqueting hall was decorated ready for the ceremony and the following feast. Two dwarves though had been forced from the mountain to keep them away from the preparations. Kili had ridden out with them to prevent them coming back early so they had no choice but to spend the day out of the mountain. With the king having banned them from hunting they went for the next best option instead. They had ridden for a while before dismounting at which point Dwalin and Nori decided to take part in some weapons practise. Kili settled down to watch as he made some new arrows to replenish his depleted stock. 

The two dwarves worked themselves into exhaustion before collapsing on the grass together. Both secretly glad that Thorin had forced them from the mountain as it had given their nerves some time to calm. Excited as they were to finally marry it was causing them both to become more and more restless. Kili watched over them as they slept with his bow now in hand and arrow notched so all he had to do was pull back the string. He couldn't remember seeing Nori sleep this peacefully but being curled up with Dwalin seemed to make him feel safe enough to drop into oblivion. 

The next day Nori rose early to find the hobbit in his room with a book in his hands. A closer look showed it to be a children's book. He was about to ask when he realised it was written in kuzdul. "An interesting read?" He asked and felt a sense of pride that the hobbit didn't start apparently aware he was awake.

"Good enough," Bilbo replied without turning from the book as he struggled through another few lines to finish the page. Turning to Nori he caught the dwarf's curious look, "Thorin's been teaching me. He said that as long as I stay in Erebor I'll probably need it." Nori was already thinking of the uses of the hobbit knowing kuzdul and nodded approvingly of the idea. The hobbit closed the book and gestured for Nori to join him at the table which held a spread of food. "We had better eat and then you need to get ready."

Nori tucked into his breakfast, "Why are you here not Ori or Dori?" He asked between mouthfuls and the hobbit looked up at him.

"You're brothers are busy preparing something else and as Thorin is currently with Dwalin it was decided that I would come to you." Bilbo replied and Nori picked up on the unspoken words. The hobbit was here because they were bonded in a thieves' pact. His brothers were probably putting the final touched to the hall and Balin was probably helping them so it was no surprise that their kin weren't available to prepare them. He was however aware of the honour that Thorin and Bilbo were bestowing on them for they were being claimed as kin. 

"Thank you," Nori replied bowing his head in gratitude and the hobbit smiled. Silence resumed as they focused on their food. With breakfast finished Bilbo dragged the dwarf from his chair and pushed him to the bathroom and he complied letting the hobbit take control. 

When he emerged after a quick bath the hobbit had laid out his clothes for him. Nori looked them over and wondered why he had agreed to wear them. They were much richer than what he usually wore because he preferred to be able to blend into the background. Bilbo just shot him a look and he gathered the clothes up to get dressed. 

When he came back he found Bilbo with his arms full of golden jewellery and Nori paused in his walk. He knew on a conscious level that it belonged to him but it still didn't feel right in his heart that he had gone from never knowing if his brothers would eat or if he would have to forgo his own food for them to having more gold than he knew what to do with. Bilbo smirked and began decking him in the gold. Several necklaces went on followed by a series rings he made the mistake of glancing at what still had to go on and tried not to gulp. Silver greaves and braces were fastened to his arms and legs to symbolise the fact he was a warrior and then a jewelled belt with a sword hanging from it went round his waist. He studied it for a moment noting that the stones set in it were of a quality that would please even the most picky of miners. 

Bilbo reached up to release his hair and tied it back in one long braid with a silver thread. Later during the ceremony Dwalin would release this to give him his braids but for now it would be tied back. Finally Bilbo lifted a mithril circlet from the table, "Thorin wants you to wear this as a symbol of the hero you are. He said that anyone who married his brother in arms was a brother to him and should be presented as such." Bilbo explained as he placed it on Nori's head and straightened it slightly. 

Finally the hobbit stepped back apparently satisfied, "Now wait here. I'll be back soon to take you down and don't think I won't know if you've left." With that he left the room and Nori presumed he was going to get ready. The dwarf picked up the book that had been left behind and smiled as he began to read. He remembered Dori reading it to him when he was young and reading it to Ori himself. It wasn't an easy book to read for a child who had grown up hearing kuzdul so it didn't surprise him that Bilbo had been concentrating so intently on it.

When Bilbo returned he was wearing clothes of a fabric that was as expensive is not more so that Nori's. Sting was belted at his side and there was a golden chain around his neck. Once again his hair was braided but it only had one bead in it. "Shall we head down," Bilbo asked with a smile and together they left the room. 

Nori kept his steps steady as they approached one of the doors to the hall trying not to panic as he walked alongside Bilbo. The hobbit stopped a couple of steps from the closed door and offered he dwarf as much comfort as he could. Nori caught the mithril circlet on Bilbo's head and wondered if it had been done so they matched. "Ready?" Bilbo asked as the door began to open and Nori could only nod his voice having deserted him.

The door swung wide open and they stepped forwards at the same time to enter the hall side by side. Both angled their heads high as they walked proudly to the centre of the hall and the raised platform where Dis stood. She had claimed the right to lead the ceremony off her brother as soon as she discovered he would be with Dwalin beforehand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry but it's a split chapter. Dwalin getting ready for his wedding comes next. Hope you like it. Comments are all welcome


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35 - ...Two Must Prepare

Thorin entered Dwalin's room to find him already awake and pacing around the room. The king restrained a sigh and walked forward to pull his friend into a chair. A servant entered behind the king and placed a breakfast spread on the table. As they left Thorin looked at Dwalin, "Eat," he ordered. The dwarf complied, happy to obey his king's order now rather than to think for himself. Eventually he had calmed enough to wonder why it was Thorin here and not Balin. The king seemed to anticipate this though because he answered the questioned before it was asked. "Your brother is busy with final preparations. I stand here in his stead as is my right as your shield brother."

Dwalin bowed his head, "You honour me, my king." Thorin waved away any further speech from his kinsman on the honour. He was here because he wanted to be not just to honour him. Today was about Dwalin and Nori and he was damned if he was going to do this just for the thanks. For Balin to have requested for him to do this in his stead had been a moment of honour for the king. 

"Come let's get you ready for your wedding," Thorin said with a grin as he gestured to the clothes. Dwalin grinned back as he fetched them to get changed and the king surveyed the pile of gold and jewels he was forcing on his friend. When Dwalin emerged the king decided to start with the ceremonial armour that he knew would be accepted easiest. Dwalin stood still as he let the king attach the greaves and braces that matched Nori's and the sword belt. He looked towards his axes but Thorin shook his head silently telling him that they were out of the question. Dwalin let out a low growl but allowed the mixture of gold and silver chains to be placed around his neck. Thorin looked him over and nodded in approval. "Wait here," he order and left.

Dwalin resumed his pacing with the king gone but now he was shooting looks at his axes wondering if it was worth putting them on. He still hadn't decided when Thorin returned this time dressed for the ceremony with his crown upon his head. In his hands he held a box and Dwalin looked at him curiously as he took the offered box. Opening it he closed it almost immediately, "No, absolutely not."

"You're my shield brother. I want everyone to know I see you and Nori as much as kin as my sister sons." Thorin said pushing back the offered box but that didn't seem to be enough to convince him. "Bilbo will give Nori one and it would be better if you bother wore them." Dwalin scowled and opened the box again to look at the gold circlet inside. Eventually he took it from the book and with a glare at the king he placed it on his head. Thorin reached forward to straighten it before he stepped back and surveyed his work.

Apparently satisfied he led Dwalin towards the hall at a measure pace to make sure they weren't too early or late. He stopped outside a door and beside him his shield brother stopped as well. "Relax," he said glancing at the tense dwarf beside him, "you're marrying your one not facing an army of orcs."

Before Dwalin could reply the doors began to open and with a nod at his king they stepped forward. Dwalin could sense eyes on him and the king as they approached the platform where Dis stood but his eyes were fixed on Nori approaching from the opposite door. His one was walking at the side of the hobbit and there was no sign of the less than honest thief instead he looked like the noble he was. They met before Dis and their escorts stepped to stand side by side behind the princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know no wedding but I promise it will be up soon


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So finally the wedding

Chapter 36 - The Ceremony 

They moved through the ceremony in a daze too focused on each other to notice their surroundings. They spoke automatically due to the extensive drilling they had been given on the ceremony until finally they had to give their own personal vows. Dwalin went first holding Nori's wrists only partially aware of the strands of metal wrapped around their joined hands. "My one, my thief you are the only one who will ever be enough for me. You have me forever, my heart, my loyalty and my blade. I will fight till my last breath for you without hesitation, against anyone who threatens you. There is nothing I will ever place above you." A gasp went up around the room as the dwarves realised just what Dwalin was promising. He was swearing to place Nori above his king before witnesses in the most binding way he could. 

Nori moved on with his own vows very much aware of what he had just been promised. "My guardsman, my one you are the most important thing to me. I give you everything I am, everything I have and everything I will ever have. You have my heart and my protection against anything that my threaten you and you will always have my blade to call on." A second shock rippled through the room as they realised that Nori had promised to place Dwalin above everything else. 

Dis waited a moment before she moved onwards with the ceremony ignoring the murmured conversations around the room. She bound their hands with another thread of metal as she spoke before ordering them to step apart. They stepped back and the metal fell to the ground and one of the threads bound them all together on the floor. She moved on to the next part of the ceremony and Thorin and Bilbo stepped forward with wooden boxes in their hands. Dwalin took his from Thorin and opened it. "With this bead I bind myself to you," he said as he lifted a bead from the box. The king took the box back and closed it as Dwalin reached up to braid it into Nori's hair. He released the dwarf's hair from the thread tying it and put one braid in it in front of Nori's ear. 

Nori took his box from Bilbo and retrieved a bead, "With this bead I bind myself to you." He passed the box back to the hobbit and braided the bead into his one's hair. His smile broadened at the sight of it nestled against Dwalin's ear.

Thorin and Bilbo stepped back behind Dis still holding the boxes. "With these beads you bind your souls together. May you stay true to your oaths and may all recognise your bond," She finished and they stepped closer to each other to share a gentle kiss. 

Around the room cheering broke out as they broke apart. Dis stepped back and Thorin moved to take her place, "It has been an honour to bear witness to the joining of my kin. May their lives be filled with joy."

He stepped back and Bilbo stepped forward, "This is a momentous occasion and I will never forget the day two of my dearest friends joined hands. Let us make it even more memorable with a feast to celebrate their union." 

Nori and Dwalin gasped with tears in their eyes as great banners unfurled from the ceiling. Half held Dwalin's coat-of-arms and the other held Nori's. The spymaster gaped at the sight for he had barely had time to get used to it being his. They were so fixated on the banners and each other that they didn't notice the tables that appeared in a flurry of movement until they were seated at a table by the king. It was a show of respect from Thorin that he relinquished his seat at the head of the table to pass it over to them. Two great backed chairs stood where one normally did and either side of them their brother's were seated. Thorin was next with Fili and Kili beside him. On the other side of them Bilbo and Dis sat together lost in conversation as a friendship blossomed between them. 

Dwalin and Nori moved through the feast in a daze still lost in the feeling of being finally bound together. When the food eaten Dwalin stood and bowed to his husband offering his arm and the room's occupants watched transfixed as Nori rose and took the offered arm. As they walked towards the open space in the middle of the room they seemed to contrast each other perfectly with one the embodiment of strength and the other of grace. As soon as the musicians started to play though their roles switched as Nori displayed a hidden strength as he manipulated Dwalin and Dwalin showed unexpected grace as he followed the moves of his husband. For in a fight you must rely on grace as well as strength and in the shadows you must be able to force your ways as much as to slip away gracefully. 

A second set of dances started up as Thorin led Bilbo to the dance floor and Fili did the same for his mother. Many of the company stood with partners and joined them as well as the dancing began. The dwarves where amazed again as the dancers twisted in and out of each other seeming about to collide only to pass a hairs breadth apart. They seemed to instinctively know where the others were as could only come from a shared experience. Of those dancing all who were leading had been on the quest to regain Erebor and such an experience left an impression and to those watching it was almost as though they could sense the each others' intentions. As they moved through the dances in the set they switched partners fluidly in the middle of dances. 

Eventually the set ended and they vacated the dance floor allowing others to occupy it. They found tankards of mead and ale before relaxing in each others' company as they congratulated their friends' on their wedding.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And the wedding night.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this as usual comments are welcome

Chapter 37 - Wedding Night

Nori and Dwalin stumbled into what were now their shared rooms and tumbled into the table. Nori found himself pushed into the table as Dwalin took control of the situation. He claimed Nori's lips with more force than normal yet it was more gentle and loving at the same time. Nori groaned and parted his lips slightly in pleasure. Dwalin took full advantage of the change to invade his husband's mouth with his tongue as he brought a hand around to hold his head still.

Nori may have ceded some control to his husband but he wasn't willing to give it over completely. His hands rand down Dwalin's back to pull his shirt up and they split long enough for him to pull it the rest of the way off. Nori took full advantage of the newly expose skin breaking away from the kiss to press kisses to Dwalin's shoulder as he ran his arms over Dwalin's upper body. Dwalin wined slightly at the loss of Nori's mouth but it allowed him remove Nori's own shirt. 

Slowly they tumbled closer to the bed as they pressed kisses to each other's skin. They fell onto the bed and Nori claimed Dwalin's mouth again as his husband struggled to relieve them of the rest of their clothes. They kicked of their trousers as Nori pulled Dwalin closer to him as he deepened the kiss plundering his husband's mouth with his tongue. They let out a gasp as their hard lengths rubbed against each other as they moved. 

Suddenly Nori found himself on his stomach as Dwalin rutted against his back groaning in pleasure. Dwalin reached out fumbling for the oil he knew was on the table by the bed almost dropping it in his haste. Nori wined as Dwalin drew back and coated a finger in oil before letting out a groan of pleasure as he felt a ringer run around the rim of his hole. Dwalin teased him for a moment before he plunged the finger in making his husband gasp in shock at the sudden intrusion. He moved it slowly stretching Nori with a loving care as he lent down to suck a bruise onto Nori's shoulder blade.

Just as Nori was beginning to loosen he slicked up a second finger and pushed it in beside the first. His lover moaned into the bed as he began to scissor his fingers apart twisting them as he did so. He pulled them out slightly and when he slammed them back in he added a third finger to the mix. Lovingly he spent a few minutes opening up his husband until Nori was a writhing mass of need beneath him with shoulder blades marked by Dwalin's mouth. 

Finally he pulled the fingers out muttering soothingly to Nori as his husband let out pitiful moans at the loss. He covered his ridged cock in oil as it dripped precome onto the bed. As Nori let out a louder moan of need he pressed his length to his hole and slowly pressed in. Pausing every now and then to allow Nori to become accustomed to the intrusion he kept pressing in until he was balls deep in his husband. He waited until he felt Nori relax around him before he began to move slowly but Nori was too far gone to take it slowly. As Dwalin pulled back and paused before trusting in again, Nori slammed his hips up taking Dwalin all the way in again. The dwarf gasped in pleasure before he settled into the punishing pace his husband clearly wanted. He knew that he wouldn't last long with Nori's tight heat around him and reached a hand under his lover to stroke his cock. If possible Nori moaned more arching into the touch but trying to snap his hips against Dwalin all the same. 

Suddenly Nori came with a cry and at the tightening around his cock Dwalin joined his lover in his own climax. He bit down hard on Nori's neck as he continued to pound through his orgasm marking Nori as his. He fell flat against his husband as his orgasm finished breathing hard. He rested for a moment before pulling out slowly as Nori let out a wine at the loss. Together they rolled over to a dry part of the bed and fell slowly into sleep as they pressed sleepy kisses against the other's skin.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38 - To Win You Have To Be Quickest

Nori and Dwalin weren't seen for several days after their wedding and those who brought them food soon learnt to knock hard on the locked door and leave it outside and come back a few hours later to fetch the empty plates. Most people avoided going near their apartments and when they had to they tried their best to ignore the sounds they heard coming from within.

When they did emerge both walked rather stiffly as they followed the king as he went about his business. Happy to see them again the company wasted no time greeting them and teasing them about their seclusion. Dori dragged a fascinated Ori away from them as his brother had a rather descriptive conversation with Gloin as Dwalin blushed beside them. Worse than that though they were both dragged off by Oin to the infirmary he had reopened where he pressed a bottle of ointment into a blushing Nori's hand. They had made a quick retreat after that ignoring Oin's laughter as they escaped. 

The only one who seemed disinclined to discuss their recent activities was the hobbit and they found themselves seeking him out when they weren't with Thorin. Better yet Bilbo had somehow managed to ban anyone else from mentioning it in his presence resulting in them being extremely grateful to him. Bilbo had taken to appearing when he knew they were being hassled cutting the conversation short and saving them from another embarrassing situation. What it would be like after the hobbit and king had married was a mystery to them all. For while Thorin did not actively condemn such talk, like the hobbit, he did look disapprovingly at those engaging in it.

Despite this Nori was still found walking around Erebor, well found implies he could be seen, but the concept is the same. He was taking time as well to train with Gari making sure the dwarf was ready for the coming battle in the shadows. Most would not realise it was even happening but Gari, Bilbo and him would bear the brunt of it and they needed to be ready. Thankfully the dwarf was finally beginning to understand that he could act against Nori's orders if he thought it was best. The result was that they were working more closely together whilst working more independently at the same time.

Dwalin was busy training the dwarves he had picked for the king's guard. He found that he spent most of his time on the practise field putting them through their paces. They were good but not good enough, fast but not fast enough and he needed them to be better now. Nori had whispered to him one night about the coming war because he knew Dwalin would be drawn into it. That had left Dwalin in a panicked state as he worried over the danger he willingly let his husband enter. Which of course had led to him pushing these dwarves to train harder so they were ready for something they couldn't see. 

Bilbo stepped onto the practise field at one such time dressed in mithril armour with Sting belted at his side. A second belt was around his waist holding several daggers and as Dwalin looked at him he realised he must also be carrying the throwing daggers Thorin had given him. The hobbit nodded to him as he crosses to the targets taking up a place at the opposite end of the field and many of Dwalin's trainees stopped to watch what he was doing. Bilbo took a slow breath and launched into movement drawing and throwing the hidden daggers. The onlookers turned to look at the target to see the throwing daggers embedded in the target. 

Bilbo smiled as he sauntered forward to fetch the daggers before sheathing them so fast no one saw exactly where they were. He crossed to stand at Dwalin's side, "How is Thorin's guard coming along?" He asked surveying the dwarvern warriors before him with a critical eye.

"Well enough," Dwalin replied placing a hand on the hobbit's shoulder. "Did you want to practise for the courting fight?" He asked and waited while the hobbit nodded without moving his gaze from the guards. 

"Perhaps one of these noble guards would spar with me," he said and the dwarf struggled to contain his chuckle at that. Bilbo was exactly the type of opponent he was unsuccessfully trying to train these guards to face. He called forward one of the guards who had been particularly unreceptive to the idea that he wasn't ready to guard the king yet.

"Are you sure this is wise?" The dwarf asked as he stepped forward, "You haven't been handling a sword long and I don't wish to harm you." 

Bilbo's eyes darkened and Dwalin restrained himself from calling off the match. The hobbit would have won easily but now the dwarf was going to be humiliated as well but if he prevented the match the hobbit would lose face. Besides he reasoned the guard clearly needed this. "Then I'll have to trust you not to harm me," Bilbo replied as he drew Sting. 

The dwarf drew his own sword as Dwalin stepped back from the hobbit and an area cleared for the fight to take place. The dwarf moved forward slowly and spun his sword out testing the hobbit. Bilbo parried easily and smiled tauntingly causing the dwarf to launch into a series of complex attacks. The hobbit grinned through it all blocking easily and as the dwarf pulled back to catch his breath believing the hobbit to be ask winded as him. Bilbo took advantage and of the situation and darted forward at full speed. The dwarf stumbled back under the assault that came too fast for him to keep up with and he stumbled backwards. His eyes widened as he tried to block the fierce attack and then the hobbit drew back with a smile. "Still think you are going to have an easy fight?" The hobbit asked as he held Sting ready out to the side. 

The dwarf scowled and attacked again but by the time he was fully extended in a thrust the hobbit was no longer there. Bilbo laughed as he tapped the back of the dwarf's neck with the flat of his blade. The fight continued in much the same way until at last Bilbo was done toying with the dwarf and ended the fight with a short pressed against his side and a dagger against his neck. 

Dwalin didn't bother to restrain the smile on his face as the fight ended. "Now do you see? You need to be fast, to be better; you need to be able to beat that." He smiled fondly at Bilbo, "You'll be facing faster enemies than that." 

The dwarves he was trying to train were watching Bilbo in amazement. For someone who hadn't been training with a sword for long to beat one of them was unexpected to say the least. Dwalin wasn't known risk the king's safety and he had picked them for their skill with their weapons. Maybe they weren't fast enough yet to protect the king and eventually this hobbit because they had to be quicker than those they were protecting otherwise there was no point in them being there.

They were so surprised that they didn't hear Bilbo and Dwalin bidding each other goodbye. They snapped out of their thoughts as the hobbit walked off. "So let's try again to get you up to speed. In pairs." He waited until the guards were standing together at the edge of the practise field and walked along the line handing each group a bow. "Start at opposite ends of the field. One of you fires the bow, the other catches it. Fire to the side of your partner so if they miss it doesn't hit them."

The dwarves looked sceptical but stood ready for the exercise all the same. At Dwalin's command the arrows were released and they attempted to snatch them from the air. All the arrows thudded into the fencing behind them. "Try again," Dwalin ordered. The result was the same but he kept them going, over and over again. 

The guards kept going but he could tell they didn't think what he was ordering was possible. Maybe they wouldn't be able to do it and that was the worst thing. They needed to believe it was possible so they would learn to do it. "Again," he ordered barely containing his frustration. A volley of arrows was fired but one didn't hit the fence.

"What exactly are you doing here Dwalin?" Nori asked twirling the arrow in his hand as he strode forward. "This isn't how you go about this," he added pressing the arrow into his husband's hands. "You need to give them a real incentive." He grabbed a bow from one of the guards and pulled it back fitting three arrows to the bow. Without warning he released them at one of the guards who dived out of the way to avoid them. "See? They need to have no choice but to stop the arrow."


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So at last the courting fight between Thorin and Bilbo. The outcome can probably be guessed due to Nori earlier in the story but it comes as a surprise to most of the dwarves of Erebor.  
> A quick reminder of what it entails:  
>  They fight with sharpened blades  
>  It's at full speed  
>  The blows aren't pulled  
>  It's meant to symbolise the trust between the courting couple  
> So there we go that's the basis of this chapter. As always all questions welcome in the comments.

Chapter 39 - Courting Fight

The day of the courting fight was approaching quickly and all of the company seemed to have been caught up in it. Both Bilbo and Thorin were training hard with the outcome of the fight uncertain to. It was strange to see the king so caught up in training rather than supervising the restoration that had finally started on the mines. Bilbo had taken to practising on Nori and Gari's private field with either one of the spies or with Dwalin. 

With the courting fight set for the next day stands were being erected around the training fields. Gloin was overseeing the construction and had spent the past week making plans and organising the materials. Now he walked amongst the builders keeping a close eye on them to make sure they didn't make a mistake or cut a corner. 

Thorin stood in the middle of his room looking at the armour laid out before him on his table. He didn't want to fight Bilbo but it was part of the courting they had engaged in. He had heard the talk of course of Bilbo beating the training guards on the practise ground but that didn't make it any easier for him to willingly fight the hobbit. With a sigh he picked up the amour and started to put it on methodically not really thinking about it. Finally he belted Orcrist to his waist and picked up his shield before heading out from the room.

Bilbo was similarly preparing for the fight but unlike the king he did not wear plate mail instead choosing to wear only his mithril mail. It was light enough that it wouldn't slow him down and that was what he needed to have a chance in this fight. Nori and Gari had trained him to fight fast as if they were ever threatened by assassins again he would need to be able to keep up. He had come to value the speed he could achieve but he knew he was far off of Nori's speed or even Gari's. One day though if he kept training he may be able to achieve a similar speed himself.

With a sigh he grabbed Sting and walked out of the room as he belted it to his side. As he walked he felt Thorin fall into step beside him and together they approached the training field. The king didn't speak and the hobbit didn't try to start a conversation both knowing that they were going to fight soon. When they arrived at the ground they nodded good luck to each other before they split ways to prepare for the fight. Bilbo walked to one end of the field where he presented Sting to Dwalin. The dwarf looked it over checking its edge before he passed it back to the hobbit. At the other end of the field Balin did the same for Thorin before the two brothers stepped back to take their place in the stands. 

Bilbo and Thorin approached each other with drawn swords slowly pacing in a circle as they closed the distance between them. It was Thorin who darted forward first closing the remaining distance and striking out at the hobbit. Bilbo laughed as he moved smoothly out of the way dodging the strike as he launched into an attack of his own. He darted backwards again as the king parried and thrust in an attack of his own. 

Eventually they stayed in constant contact either through their blades or through the brush of their skin. To the dwarves watching it seemed that their king was holding back but the company realised he wasn't the only one. Finally Thorin stepped the fight up a gear in an attempt to bring it to a close but he found his increase in power matched by the hobbit. A gasp went up from the crowd as they saw their king start to fight full force against the hobbit as if they thought he would harm him. They were surprised though when the hobbit seemed to gain the upper hand in the fight effortlessly dancing away from the king's blade.

The courting fight came to an end in a clash of metal as they engaged one last time. Until Bilbo finished it with a blade against the king's throat. A stunned gasp went up as Bilbo lowered the blade as Thorin bowed to him. The king took the hobbit's hand and pressed a kiss to it gently, "My love," he murmured as he stepped back. 

They split ways leaving from opposite ends of the field in silence as the crowd watched on. It may be the traditional end to the courting fight but the fight had been anything but what was expected. The fight had definitely displayed the trust between them in an unusual way as both had stopped restraining their blows by the end trusting the other to block them before coming to harm. They may have been trusting the other with their life but they had also been trusting the other to protect himself. It was the ultimate display of trust and it was a sign to the dwarves of Erebor that this was a serious courtship. 

The hobbit and dwarf met again in Bilbo's rooms once they had removed their armour and settled down in the chairs beside the fire. "You are amazing, my hobbit," Thorin said smiling at him as he reached forward to take his hand. "Nori's been training with you?" He queried after a while. The hobbit had a similar fighting style to his spymaster.

"He's been making sure I can protect myself." Bilbo said and he looked at Thorin meeting the king's eyes, "There's always going to be a threat and he's always going to be trying to protect us but if they slip past him then we must protect ourselves. This is my trade Thorin ever since you walked into my home and I'm going to make sure that I can stand my own. I'm going to make sure that I'm fast enough to protect us both if I have to." 

Thorin gazed into the hobbit's eyes and saw the strength of determination in him that was no doubt what had drawn Nori to the hobbit in the first place. If his spymaster was training Bilbo that meant that he was preparing for the day when Bilbo would need to be able to walk unseen in shadows and fight for his life. Nori knew something of what was coming and he was doing his best to prepare, Bilbo was doing his best to prepare and the king had no doubt that Dwalin was preparing. From the way he had been teaching the new king's guard to value speed Dwalin was preparing for an attack from people like Nori. Maybe Thorin had been blind to what was happening around him but he refused to be ignorant any longer. The next time he saw Nori he was going to find out exactly what was going on.

"I'm glad. You are strong enough to stand alone and it eases my heart to know that you'll be able to protect yourself," he answered the hobbit. Bilbo looked slightly shocked but pleased all the same, "You faced a dragon with no armour, you had nothing but a sword you didn't drawn, yet you came out alive. You've earned the right time and time again to be respected and trusted rather than sheltered and protected."


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it has been so long since I updated

** Chapter 40 - Protection Works Both Ways **

 

Nori was surprised to be summoned officially by his king but he managed to conceal it before anyone had chance to notice. He nodded to the messenger who had found him and walked away toward the king's apartment where he was eating his midday meal.

 

When he arrived Thorin gestured for him to wait and the spymaster struggled to contain his anger at being dismissed so easily. He knew the king wanted something from him that he probably wasn't willing to give and judging by Thorin's behaviour the king already had some idea about what it was and wasn't happy he hadn't disclosed it.

 

Thorin stood from his meal in silence and left the room heading towards his office. Nori fell into step behind him willing for now to wait and find out when the king was ready. They entered the office and Thorin took his seat behind the desk. Nori glanced at the other chair but a glare from the king stopped his movement so instead he stopped in the middle of the room. He stood still waiting for the questions to start. "So do you want to tell me why you're preparing for a war? Why Bilbo and Dwalin know and yet I have no idea?" Thorin asked eventually as he lent back in his chair with his arms folded and waited for a reply.

 

"You figured that our then?" Nori replied but even as he tried to make his voice sound light he saw the king's eyes narrow. "I know. You think I should have told you but you have to understand you knowing will make it harder to protect you."

 

"Why?" Thorin asked his posture not getting any more welcoming. It was entirely unexpected for Nori to give in this quickly and answer his questions and yet at the same time he didn't reveal everything.

 

"If they suspect even slightly that you know anything, if you act differently and give it away then they will attack all the more furiously. You will be so much harder to protect even from yourself and there will be deaths. So I need you, we need you to let this go and leave this war up to us because you can't help. You don't have the time needed to become fast enough to make a difference so you are just going to have to trust us."

 

Thorin stared at his spymaster in shock and the dwarf looked back with an unwavering gaze. The anger that had been boiling inside the king began to die down at Nori's words. There was none of the usual evasion in the answer and it had taken Thorin completely by surprise. "I'll keep out of it," Thorin said eventually meeting his spymaster's stare. Nori waited for the condition he knew was going to follow, "if you keep Bilbo out of it."

 

Nori looked at his king and a look of triumph flashed across his face at Thorin's words. "Did you know that your guard has changed?" Nori asked conversationally as he slipped into the chair that Thorin had stopped him from taking earlier. "Most of the time it is the same but occasionally when he has free time another takes over."

 

"What do you mean?" Thorin said leaning forwards to look at his spymaster. "You and Dwalin are my guard."

 

"Sometimes we both need to be elsewhere," Nori said leaning back in the chair and resting his feet on Thorin's desk with a grin. "You should of course know better than to underestimate me," Nori said and his voice had lost its light tone to become more threatening, more unnerving. "You don't get to catch me off guard with demands I don't like."

 

"You'll keep Bilbo out of your war," Thorin growled responding to the challenge as the spymaster knew he would.

 

"Oh no he won't," came the hobbit's voice and Thorin turned to see Bilbo standing behind him. There was a dangerous glint in the hobbit's eyes as he advanced on the king, on the one he loved. As Thorin looked at him he saw he was wearing weapons in the same way that Nori did; some where blatantly on display, an impressive arsenal on their own, but others were hidden away. "You agreed to accept my trade," Bilbo said still advancing on the king. Thorin's eyes darted to his spymaster for help but the dwarf just grinned at him as he watched the proceedings curiously. "You agreed that I should be respected and trusted rather than sheltered and protected."

 

Bilbo had stopped moving and he now stood next to Thorin's chair looking down at the king. Thorin stood from his chair and reached out for the hobbit taking hold of his shoulders. "I did and I still do. I just don't want you on the front lines of Nori's war."

 

Bilbo looked at him curiously for a moment, "Is that where you believe I am," the hobbit said softly. He raised a hand to the king's cheek, "Nori told you what I am. You only have to listen to him." Bilbo pressed a soft kiss to the king's lips. "How did I get in?" Bilbo whispered as he drew back but though he didn't step away his posture grew less threatening.

 

Thorin looked around trying to figure out how the hobbit had come in without using the door. Eventually it began to click into place, "You were already here with us," Thorin said looking back at his hobbit. "You're my guard," the king declared and the hobbit smiled at him in response.

 

"As you're mine," Bilbo replied softly and there was no challenge left in him anymore. Bilbo held out a hand to Nori who passed him a wooden box. "I had this made for you. It wasn't by my hand but the design is mine."

 

Thorin took the box from the nervous hobbit and placed it on the desk. As he looked at the size of the box he wondered where exactly the spymaster had hidden it; an inquisitive glance at the dwarf revealed nothing but a smug look in answer. Slowly the king opened the box to reveal its contents and he glanced at his hobbit in wonder. "Bilbo," Thorin managed to say at the sight of the beautiful armour before him.

 

"I know well your skill with a blade," the hobbit said with a grin now his gift had been well received. "I also know how you'll do anything for your people. May this keep you safe as you fight to do so." The hobbit was cut off as he was caught in a tight embrace from the king; laughing Thorin spun the hobbit around.

 

"That's my cue," Nori muttered to himself as he slipped from the room. Behind him the hobbit and dwarf were so caught up in their love for each other that they didn't notice him leave. Dwalin and him had an agreement that if the king and hobbit broke any of the courting rituals in their presence they wouldn't carry out the penalty. They were however to report it to the other so that they could each remind the courting pair of the restrictions upon them. That in mind Nori set off to find his husband to pass on the knowledge and hopeful enjoy some of what the king and hobbit were surely doing right now.


End file.
